The Time Lords Wife
by XaBlackRoseX
Summary: Basicly what the title says.. based off of the movie The time travelers wife...P.S. Its not ment to be like the movie. It includes Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Captian Jack, Donna Noble, Wilfred Mott, and Doctor Who himslef. rated m for later chapters
1. The Beginning

**The Time Lords Wife**

**Fic by (Taylor Twamley) XBlackRoseX**

Donna Noble walked through the winter snow, eying her imprints. A sound erupted from the meadow just beyond the hill to her left. She smiled and raced towards it. She stopped for breath at the very tip of the hill. She admired her foggy breath as she tried to re-gain her normal breathing pattern. Her eyes traveled to the blue police box just a few meters away.

Running down the snowy hill she reached the mysterious blue box; her blue and pink floral mitten laying smoothly on it. The doors creaked open and a man stepped out. He wore a blue pin striped suit; his hair lay neatly on his head.

Donna gasped and gazed at this mysterious man.

"Hello there Donna." He smiled his hand searching for her in the cold air. She stared at it for a second or two before grasping it in her own, moving it up and down, smiling at him.

"Hi. How do you know my name?" she asked releasing his hand. He kneeled down so that they were at eye level.

"We-ell, you see Donna I'm a Time Lord. I can Travel through space and time. And guess what?" her smile could not be tamed.

"What?" she asked egger to hear more of this fairy tale.

"In the future you and I are friends. You know when you're a lady." He smiled coyly. Donna hit the man playfully.

"You silly man there's no such thing in time travel." She said sticking her nose in the air. He smiled and stood.

"Are you sure?"

"Yep." She said crossing her arms above her chest. The man opened the doors to the blue box and stepped half way in. he turned his head towards Donna.

"Well maybe if you wait long enough, I might change your mind." He smiled and fully walked in closing the doors behind him. A minute passed and the noise she had heard earlier was sounding off again. She watched in awe as the blue box disappeared.

In amazement she raced home to tell her mom about this. Once home she told her leaving no detail spared. Her mother patted her head and told her not to waste her time with foolish stories. Donna frowned and shouted at her mother. She ran to her room and slammed the door. She lay on her bed, shedding tears.

"He is real." She whispered to her self as she dried her tears. She got up and grabbed her diary that granddad gave to her last Christmas. She wrote what had happened today, everything.

_'I saw him today._

_Nobmembar 12'_

She waited for him day after day. She went to the same place everyday for year, he never showed. It was her eighth birthday before she saw him again.

He was sanding at the side of the house, leaning against the white wood. She smiled seeing that he was wearing the same suit as he did when they met.

She walked up and extended her hand to him smiling.

"Hi." He smiled back taking her hand.

"Hello, Donna." He said letting go of her hand and reaching behind his back. Donna's eyes fallowed his hands. He pulled out a small and slim wrapped box.

"Happy eighth birthday Donna." He handed her the box and started to head back to his mysterious blue box.

"Wait!" she half whined. She didn't want to see him leave again.

"Yes?" he smiled at her his face lighting up her spirits.

"Your name, what's you name?" she asked her face growing censure.

"We-ell I really don't have a name, but you can call me the Doctor." with that he walked into the box and once again she heard that funny noise, then he was gone again. She smiled into thin air glancing down at the box.

"Donna?" her mum called. She slipped the box into her yellow dress's pocket. She turned to go back to the party. After the party had ended she headed up to her room to place her presents were they belonged.

Once she knew she was completely alone her hand traveled to her pocket feeling a box like figure. She slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled it out. She slowly undid the wrapping.

She was looking at a red velvet box that was long and slender. Her hand traveled up down feeling the texture of the fabric. She opened it. Her breath was taken away. She sat on her bed her mouth gaping open. There was a note folded up. She pulled it out, unfolded it. Her eyes traveled over the paper.

_Dear Donna,_

_I hope you like it. I was on the planet flexitorg, shopping for a new dashboard for the TARDIS (blue box). When I saw it, I instantly thought of you. They call it a __'__Dragon__'__s Tear__'__. Hope you like it. _

_~The Doctor_

She smiled, her eyes falling on the necklace again. It had a thin silver chain with a turquoise gem in the shape of a tear. She took it out of the box attaching it around her neck. The gem lay on at the very base of her neck line. The stone cooled her flushed skin. Her fingers gently ran over it, as if you were touching a piece of 1000 year old piece of paper.

She looked up at the ceiling smiling, "Thank you." She whispered as she closed her eyes.

Again she didn't see the doctor for another 2 years. She was 10 and was at the playground with a bunch of kids from her school. The boys were playfully picking on the girls; you know chasing them and stuff. Till one boy accidentally got his finger tangled in the thin chain of Donna's necklace. He pulled his hand away and with out knowing it broke it.

Donna crumbled to the ground. She struggled to look for the missing pieces, her tears wetting the sand beneath her legs. Her hand found the cool gem, taking it into her hand frowning as she saw the crack down the middle of it. Her tears began to turn into tears of anger. She stood up both of her hands clenched into fists.

Jimmy walked up to her, "I'm sorry Donna it was an accident." Her head rose from the ground. Her eyes were glazed by tears and filled with mixed emotions. Her right fist went behind her head and landed in his abdomen. He fell to the ground his hands on his chest, gasping for air.

"Donna." A soft voice said behind her. Her breath caught in her throat as she slowly turned around. Her eyes met his.

"Come here we need to talk." His head motioning towards the blue box named the TARDIS. They walked to it, and sat on the cool grass, there backs leaned up against the doors of the box. They sat in silence till Donna spoke.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, her hand still holding onto the cracked gem. He cocked his head and looked at her curiously.

"Why? "

"Because you gave me such a beautiful gift and I went off and broke it." She said as her hand slowly unfolding, to show him the cracked and damaged gem. More tears fell from her eyes as he took the broken gem into his own hand to examine.

He stood up and headed into the TARDIS and shut the doors. She knew he hated her now. About two minutes later he returned with something in his hand. He sat back down next to her.

"Here ya go." He said as he placed the box into her lap. She went to open it when she saw gem lying on her jeans. She picked it up with her left hand as her right held the new box.

"Go on open it, it won't bite." He smiled taking the broken gem into his hand. She opened the box to find the same exact necklace. Her eyes landed on the Doctor.

"Y-you're not mad at me?"

"What? Why would I be?" she looked at the original stone and the crack on it. "Oh because of that, well no I'm not mad. It was accident, so it wasn't your fault." Took the necklace out of the box and fastened it around her neck.

"But how did you know that I was going to break it?"

He smiled. "We-ell I'm a time lord, remember? I can travel through time and space. I traveled here and saw that you broke it and I went to Flexitorg again and bought the same one again, then traveled back here.

"Wow. Are you a Martian? Oh like a Martian man! Time boy? No, oh! Spaceman." She said as they both stood up. He smiled and shook his head.

"No I'm not from Mars. I'm from a planet call Gallifrey. Far, far away. And could you please call me the Doctor."

"Sure thing Spaceman." She laughed he smiled and headed into the TARDIS and closed the doors. Then Donna heard the sound again that told her he was almost gone.

"Doctor," she whispered, "DOCTOR! DOCTOR!" she called, the noise stopped and he popped his head out of the TARDIS.

"Blimey you can shout."

She smiled, "Will I ever see you again?"

He ran his hand through his hair, "Yes."

"Thank you!" she shouted right before he and his blue box disappeared.

That was the last time she saw him till 20 years later.

A-NOTE** I ment to spell some words wrong so don't got too over bored on that...and tell me what you think. ^^


	2. You came

**The Time Lords Wife**

**Fic by (Taylor Twamley) XBlackRoseX**

Donna walked through her front door, closing it behind her. She let out a heavy sigh. '_Still no sign of him'_

"Donna is that you?"

"Ya mum its me." She answered walking into the kitchen. She knew what was about to happen.

"So how was work?" she asked placing a cup of tea in front of her.

"Oh-um- Jason fell of the ladder, Michael broke his computer, I got laid off, and Samantha got a promotion. So how was your day." Her mother's mouth was gaped open.

"You what?!"

"I got laid off" Donna sighed.

"Donna, why? How? Why are you so worthless?" her mother asked her placing her head into her hands.

"Mum, I-"

"I really don't want to hear it. All you do is free load off me and your gramps, while you sit and get LAID OFF." Her mother spat at Donna. Donna was dumb founded. Why would her OWN mother say such things?

"Where's granddad?"

"Outside on that stupid hill of his." Her mother pointed towards the sliding doors. Donna stood up, pushing her chair to the ground. She yanked open the doors and stormed out!

"Hey granddad." Donna greeted him with a warm smile.

"Hey Donna, listen don't be mad her, okay." Donna gave him a look of confusion, "The fight. I heard it. It's just that the bills and groceries are pilling up and she doesn't have enough."

Donna sighed and smiled at him.

"Okay. So what are you doing out here? I mean it's flipping freezing out!"

He chuckled, "Looking out for aliens, of course." He chuckled, "Joking, I'm studying Venus. You know she is the only planet named after a female? They say that she was so lovely that they couldn't resist."

"Well, lucky her."

"_Donna." _The voice whispered into her sleeping ear. He placed a small folded piece of paper next to her pillow.

"_Please, please be careful to marrow."_ He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"_Goodbye my brilliant Donna Noble." _He turned and walked to the window.

"Doctor." He froze he turned around and met her weary gaze.

"Doctor is that you?" she sat up rubbing her eyes with the palms of her hands. She stood up, her hair falling behind her, her blue tang top, untangling its self form the sheet.

"Yeah, it's me." He smiled in the dark. Her sleepy-ness immediately wore off. She leaped into his arms.

"I missed you. Where have you been? It's been like 20 years since I lost saw you!" she cheered she ran out of his arms and turned on the lamp next to her bed.

He smiled. "I know." She smiled shyly.

"Look at you; you even have the same suit. Don't you ever change?"

"Well, thanks Donna, but I should really-"

"No!" she panicked, she didn't want to lose him again, "I mean its been so long and I would love to talk to you for a while."

He smiled and sat on the edge of her bed. She smiled and fallowed suit.

"Alright then." She turned to her night stand and opened the side drawer and pulled out a small note book.

"What's that?" he asked curious.

"This," she paused taking a chance to open it, "this is a notebook. See I have written down all the time we saw each other or when I have seen you." She smiled flipping through all of the pages."

"As you can tell I really don't have many pages filled." Her smile faded, his eyes softened and looked sad.

"I'm sorry Donna, but I have had things I need to take care off." Tears started to fall from her eyes. Her hand went to go wipe them away when his hand touched her cheek.

Her breath got caught in her throat. "Please don't cry. I'm really sorry." He whispered as his hand wiped away the tears. His hand was about to fall, when she caught it in hers. He leaned his head against her forehead.

"So why did you come back, now?" she whispered letting go of his hand and raising her head.

He looked into her eyes. They were red from crying.

"We-ell, you see it's like when there's a big event, it keeps pulling you in, like gravity." She smiled

"I was a big event?" she asked grabbing his hand. He smiled moving his fingers so that they were intertwined with hers.

"Yes, you were. You're my brilliant Donna Noble." He said lifting her hand and placing a soft kiss on it.

She let her head fall, so that her eyes were studying the covers of the bed. Her hair fell into her face as she slowly raised it. His hand reached out and went to place it behind her head, and as he did the door opened.

"What in gods name, is going on I here?!" Sylvia half shrieked. Donna and the Doctors eyes immediately faced the door.

Donna jumped up, "Mum!? It's, it's not what you think, he was; he was just visiting."

"Get out." she said. The Doctor rose and headed for the door.

"No, the both of you." She snapped. Donna looked at her mum in confusion.

"Mum, Please."

"No, I want both of you of here before morning; if your not then I'll call the cops." She turned to walk out.

Donna stood paralyzed; the doctor felt so much guilt. He walked over to her and placed his arms around her.

"Were, am I going to live? I have no one, I have no where to go."

"Donna, you could come traveling with me if you want. I mean I have plenty of space and to be quite honest I am lonely seeing as I'm all alone."

She raised her head and looked at him. "You mean it? For how long?"

"Yes I do. Till, the planet Gallifrey returns." She smiled and hugged him.

"Thank you." She let go of him and went into her closet and pulled out a suit case. "I'll only be a minute." She said to him as she opened her top drawer.

10 minutes passed and she finished her third suitcase. He stood by the window watching her every move. When he saw that she was done, he walked closer to her and smiled.

"You done"

"Ya! Sorry that there's I have so many things." She smiled, "But unlike some spacemen, I don't only wear one thing." She jeered. Grabbing two of the suit case handles starting to walk to the window.

"So how exactly are we supposed to get down from here?" she looked at him curiously.

He smiled and reached into his inner pocked and pulled out a set of car keys with a beeper thing attached. He pressed a button and it bleeped.

The next thing she knew she was starring at the TARDIS outside of her window. He opened the window and the TARDIS doors swung open.

"Ladies first." He gestured towards the TARDIS. She gave him a look, he returned with a sheepish one. Donna rolled her eyes and carefully walked into the TARDIS. He was the next one in.

"Where's my room?" she asked turning to face him. He finished closing the doors and turned to face her.

"Down that hall, third door on your left." She nodded at him, grabbing her bags and walking in that direction.

The Doctor paced through the TARDIS wondering if what he did was right. You know like bringing her abroad and stuff.

He headed in the direction of her room. He stood in the entrance to room, leaning one side of body on the door frame.

"So you like it." He asked, getting her attention. She greeted him with a warm and friendly smile.

"Ya, thank you so much." She stood up and crossed her arms above her chest, making a weird face."

"What?"

"It's a bit plain, don't cha'ya think?" she asked him taking a look around her new room.

"No, I happen to think that white is a calm color."

She made another face, "Ya I bet. This coming from a man who never changes his clothes." He smiled and then made a sad puppy dog face.

"Hey we spacemen have feelings too."

"Ya just like you guys have a huge wardrobe." She smiled sarcastically. She walked by him and into the hallway. "And as for the color I'll buy some paint tomorrow."

He smiled and stood behind her watching her slowly explore the TARDIS. _'Boy, she's something.'_ He thought, smiling to himself.

"Donna." He called after her. She turned to face him. Her hair falling into her face. He smiled. Unlike his other companions he felt something strong for Donna. If it was love, he wasn't sure, but he knew something was there.

"What is it Doctor?" she looked spectacular in the TARDIS lights.

How would you like to go to Pompeii?"

Her face lit up, a smile tugging on her lips.

"Before it was destroyed." He said smiling.


	3. Fires of Pompeii

**The Time Lords Wife**

**Fic by (Taylor Twamley) XBlackRoseX**

Donna walked through the two TARDIS doors, closing them behind her. She smiled when she sensed the Doctor next to her

"Donna well what do you think?"

"It's Amazing." She answered walking further into the town. She knew something wasn't right.

"Hey why's that sign in English? I can read it clear as daylight! Are you tricking me?" she questioned facing him. He put his hands up t surrender.

"No, no it's nothing like that. You see the TARDIS transfigured us. Everything we read or say is Latin. So lets say when someone talks we hear them as if they're speaking English, but when we speak its Latin."

"Really?"

"Really." He reassured her.

""Oh I'm in Rome! Donna Noble is in Rome! This is weird. I mean everyone's dead."

"Well don't go saying that to them."

"This is great thank you. Thank you s much.' She went over to him and hugged him.

"So shall we do first?" she asked placing feet firmly in front of her.

"Oh-um- I don't know shopping."

Just then the ground stated to shake and rumble. The doctor and Donna got thrown about as if they were on the TARDIS.

"Doctor? What was that?!"

"I think we time traveled a little too close to when Pompeii explodes"

Donna sighed, "How close are we Doctor?"

"Donna, we got to go, now!

"Doctor, I-"

"I really don't want us to get suffocated to death by ash, so let's go. "Why? We have plenty of time to save everybody. You're the Doctor that's what you do. You save people."

"No Donna we can't. Something's are time are fixed others are fluxed. This is a fixed moment in history. What happens, I can't change it."

"Oh now your in charge?"

"TARDIS, Time lord, yea."

"Donna, human no! I'll tell'em myself."

"Donna I can't change it even if I wanted too."

"So we just leave and let all those people die knowing that we could have saved them." she said placing her hands on her hips. She gazed into the Doctors eyes. Donna noticed that they were unfocused and unclear to read, this was unusual for the Doctor. She sighed and relaxed a little.

"Alright let's go." Donna told him with a warm smile.

"Okay." Donna and the Doctor walked to were the TARDIS was parked and noticed something.

Donna sighed, "You're kidding. Don't tell me the TARDIS is gone?

"Okay. "

"Where is it then?"

"You told me not to tell you." He said looking at her.

"Oi, don't get clever in Latin." The Doctor turned and ran to a man standing near by.

"Um excuse me. Excuse me! There was box, a big blue wooden box, right over there. Where'd it go?"

"Sold it. I got 15 for it. Yup, sold it to Rikillese, just over the hill there." He said pointing to the hill to their left

"Donna!"he shouted over his shoulder as he took off in that direction. She ran right behind him. They arrived and stepped between two pillars. Then the ground roared again the Doctor ran over to a statue head that sat on shelve n the wall.

"Whoa, there ya go." He said placing it back where it belongs.

"Thank you kind sir. I'm afraid business is closed to the fact that gods keep on getting angry with us. " He leaned over and bowed to his visitor.

"What is that you do?"He asked.

"I customize marble in houses. I am the head marble constructor in Rome to be exact.

"Well that's great!" he shook hands with him and turned and walked to the window

"And who are you?" He froze he turned around and looked at how he suspected was Rikillese

"I am Spartacus."

"And so am I." Donna said standing next to the Doctor.

"Mr. and Miss Spartacus."

"Oh, no we're not married." He said pointing to him and Donna. He could hear Donna mumbling something as well, but paid no attention to it.

"Oh, brother and sister. Of course you look very much alike" He smiled. The Doctors and Donna's gaze met.

"Really?" they said in unison

"Well I'm sorry because as I said before we're closed. But if you ever do need marble, I'm your man!" he said placing both hands were his breasts would be.

"Yes, yes very good cause I'm the marble inspector." He said walking off.

"Oh the gods sent us an inspection." Said a woman taking a glass, of liquid from a boy that sat by a fountain, and dumped it out. "Please excuse us for our son."

"This is my good wife Metilla. We're not prepared."

"Nothing to worry about. I'm sure that you've got nothing to hide, but frankly that object," he said pointing to the TARDIS, "Looks rather like wood to me." he said as Donna and him walked over to it.

"I told you get rid of it." Metilla said looking angry at her husband. He ran over to the Doctor and Donna.

"I only bought it today."

"Ya I'm sure its fine, but I might have to take it off your hands to do a proper inspection.

"But while we do that, wouldn't you recommend a holiday, Spartacus?"

"I don't know what you mean, Spartacus."

"What, why would we do that?" Rikillese asked placing a hand on his wife.

"Because of the Volcano, that's sitting right on you door step." She pointed to it with her left hand, being thrown over her shoulder.

"A what?" Metilla asked, leaning her head father in, to hear Donna better.

"Oh Spartacus how rude of. We haven't even said thanks to the house hold gods yet." He said pulling Donna and himself to where the stone tablet of the gods lay.

"The Romans don't even know the word Volcano exists yet, well at least not till tomorrow."

"Great so they get to learn a new word as they die." She looked at him and frowned. He looked at her and furrowed his brows.

"I'm Donna stop it." She sighed and nodded.

"Fine, but just cause you fly around in space doesn't mean you have the right to tell me to shut up!" the finished and walked back to where Rikillese and his wife stood.

"Well we'll be going then." Donna's eyes fell. This didn't seem right to her.

"Doctor, of time and space." A young girl entered the room her eyes fixed on Donna and the Doctor.

"Please excuse our daughter. Evelina watch your tongue." Her mother said taking hold of her shoulders.

The doctor looked intrigued, "No let her finish. How do you know who I am?" He whispered.

"You say you're the Doctor, but your real name is hidden. You; the Doctor son of Gallifrey. And you." She said pointing to Donna, "Donna Noble daughter of, London. You've got something on your back." She said. Donna looked at the Doctor her hand instinctively flying to her shoulder.

"What's she mean? Doctor what's on my back?" she asked. She took a few glances over her shoulder.

He looked into Evelina's eyes. They were focused and confused.

"We-ell, you're smart, but how do you know all this?"

"It's a gift from the gods. She has foresight." Her father Rikillese said walking over to his son who sat drinking more of that liquid. Donna grabbed the Doctors hand and squeezed it to let him know that she was frightened. He squeezed it back letting his fingers intertwine with hers as if to say '_It's okay, I'm hear._'

"We-ell that's good." He said lifting his hand from Donna's and walked towards her. All of the sudden Evelina passed out. Her mothered shrieked and Doctor and Donna both ran to the young girl's side.

Doctor had told Donna to take Evelina to her chambers, and stay with her till she awoke. Donna did as she was told and walked off. The mother, Metilla walked in with some water. She removed the yellow fabric from her daughter's arms.

"Oh my. It's stone!" Donna half shrieked taking hold of the sleeping figures arm. Donna let go as the mother dowsed it with water and re-wrapped it. After a minute or the mother left leaving Donna alone to her thoughts. An hour so passed before Evelina woke up from her fainting spell.

"Get out." she said. The Donna rose from her sitting position along the door.

"Why? I'm glad to see that you're okay Evelina. That is your name right, Evelina?" Donna looked at Evelina.

"Ya that's my name and yours is Donna." Evelina said sitting up and placing her hands neatly in her lap. Donna smiled.

"Yes now I was wondering a question. I feel out of place with these clothes on, would you be willing to help me?" She turned and did a little spin to show off her future clothes.

Evelina smiled and nodded. After a few outfits later they both settled on one dress. It was purple with jewels enlaced with the fabric, under her breasts. She also had a matching purple shawl that Donna draped over her shoulders.

Evelina let out a small laugh as Donna re-positioned it.

"You're not supposed to laugh. Thanks for that. What'cha think? The goddess Athena."

"That's sacrilegious." Evelina giggled.

She raised her head and looked at her. Donna and Evelina heard a loud roar coming from where the Doctor and the others sat. They ran to them. Donna looked up and saw a rock and fire like creature standing at least 10ft tall.

"Get some water!" The Doctor ordered; Donna ran to get some when she returned someone grabbed her from behind. Evelina looked and saw someone dragging Donna with them. One of them held there finger to there mouth to say hush. Evelina looked back at the Doctor to see her father Throwing water at the beast.

"Ah thank you." The Doctor sighed. "Now Donna-" he looked around to find that Donna was missing, "Donna? Donna?!"

"You have got to be kidding me." Donna said more like a statement than a question.

"The stranger will surrender with her blood!" a woman in a red toga said a holing a blade with a snake like handle.

"Don't you dare." Dona warned getting mouthy with her.

She smiled and looked down at Donna. "You will be silent."

"Listen sister, you may have eyes in the back of your hands, but you'll have hands in the back of your head with I'm finished with you! LET. ME. GO."

The woman lifted the blade above her head with both hands on it.

"This brattling voice will cease forever."

"That'll be the day." The Doctor said walking into view. The females and Donna looked towards him. He smiled and stood straight.

"No man is allowed to enter the temple of civil." The woman said facing him all together.

"That's all right. It's just us girls. You know I met the civil once. Lovely, but blimey she could talk." He walked to where Donna was tied up.

"Nice teeth. Truth be told I think she fancied me." He looked down at Donna and reached into his inner pocket. "You alright there?"

"Never better." Donna looked up at him.

"Oh I like the toga."

"Thank you, and the ropes?" she asked noticing the sonic device.

"Ehh, not so much." He placed his sonic screwdriver over the ropes to set Donna free. The ropes fell off one by one. The woman stood their in amazement.

"What type of magic is this?" one said. A raspy voice called them from behind some drapes. All the women bowed and sat down.

(A few minutes of the Doctor being Doctor being Doctor and causing a scene and revealing an alien this happened.)

"Sisters, I see in his mind. The weapon is harmless." The Doctor looked at Rock lady (that's what I call her anyways) and fired the water at it. It screamed in pain as the Doctor jumped down the pit were he saw Donna.

"You fought her off with a water pistol. I bloody love you!"

He stood up and faced the other way, "This way." She stood up and looked in his direction.

"Which way we going now?"

"Into the Volcano"

"No way."

"Yes way. Have it your way." He smiled and spun the water pistol around finger placing it back in his jacket.

"Hey so if Aliens set off the volcano then doesn't it make it alright for you to stop it?"

"It's still a fixed point in history." He said not even bothering to look at her. She walked by him and stopped to face him.

"Well I'm history to you. You saved me in 2008, you saved us all. Why is this any different?"

He moved around her and continued to walk, "Something's a re fixed, and others are a fluxed. Pompeii is fixed."

"How do you which is which?" she asked trying to keep up with him. He stopped and turned around and looked at her.

"'Cause that's how I see the universe. Every waking second I see what was, what is, what could be, and what must not." He turned and walked away.

"Doctor how many people died?"

"Stop it!"

"How many people died?" she asked again. He faced her one last time.

"20,000." He said growing angry with Donna.

"Is that what you see? All 20,000, and it's alright to you?" a moment of silence came and went as a giant rock monster roared behind them. Doctor grabbed her hand and started to run.

"They know we're here, come on." They ran until they came to a shuttle or escape pod of some sort. "I'm guessing this is how they arrived." All of the sudden one of those magma monsters come up and starts breathing fire in their direction.

"Donna inside now." He called to her as he stepped inside. She turned to face him running in after him, her hair falling into her face. He closed the door just as more fire/lave was blown onto the shuttle.

"Bit hot in here." Donna said looking at the Doctor. He was mumbling something.

"What is it Doctor?" asked Donna.

"Don't you see Donna? If I change this I can blow MT. Vesuvius, yes, but that's the choice Donna. It's either Pompeii or the world." she looked horrified.

"Oh my god." He looked at her, his eyes watery yet showing no feeling.

"Push this leaver and its over. 20,000 people." He said looking at the leaver with his hands placed firmly on it.

Donna was already crying (hardly) and she had slipped one arm in between his two and on his hands whiled the other lay nest to his.

The Doctor looked at her, their eyes met and they understood what each other in that moment. All unspoken words were said in that brief gaze between them. They looked back down at their hands and on three they pushed down together, sharing the burden.

The volcano erupted, smoke and ash filling the skies as it fell over Pompeii. The shuttle that the Doctor and Donna were in crashed about 100 feet away from the volcano. They opened the door and looked up at it.

The Doctor shrugged, "I guess it was an escape pod. Run!" he grabbed Donna's hand and pulled her along as he raced towards the TARDIS.

They raced through the town of Pompeii. People were every where, screaming and crying as they ran for cover. Donna felt more tears slip through her eyes as she coughed. The doctor was father ahead trying to avoid any contact with anyone. She picked up speed to try to keep up with him.

After a while they reached Rikillese home. They ran through it and passed by the family. Donna stopped and stared at the family. Evelina was crying and her mother held onto her tight. Rikillese held onto his Quinsy.

"Doctor!" nothing no answer, she looked back them. She heard the TARDIS starting to move and ran to it leaving them behind. She walked up the ramp and to him.

"You can't just leave them!" she yelled, tears washing her soot covered face.

"Don't you think I've done enough?"

"Doctor you have to go back! I'm telling you take this thing back!" he flipped a switch and the TARDIS moved.

"That's just it Donna. If I could go back and save them I would, but I can't. I can never go back, I just can't!"

"Just someone, please. Not the whole town. Just save someone." He starred at her for awhile then turned a few knobs. The TARDIS landed in front of Rikillese and his family. The doors opened and the Doctor held out his hand.

Rikillese grabbed his hand and stepped in the TARDIS with his families. The Doctor took them to a hill outside of Pompeii. Him and Donna watched Pompeii burn. The family grieved as they watched the town burn as well.

They talked and the Doctor explained a few things. Finale the Doctor and Donna walked back into the TARDIS.

"You were right, Donna. Sometimes I do need some one. Welcome abroad." She smiled as his face showed happiness. He grabbed a knob and turned it down with in seconds they were in space again.

~ANote: Not meant to be like the episode


	4. Planet of the Ood

**The Time Lords Wife**

**Fic by (Taylor Twamley) XBlackRoseX**

The TARDIS shook back and forth swinging Donna and the Doctor about.

"I set the controls to random. Outside that door we could be anywhere, anytime, and any place. Are you alright?

"Terrified. I mean history is one thing, but an alien planet!"

"I could always take you home." He said pointing to the controls.

"Ya, don't laugh at me." She said pointing at him. The Doctor walked towards her.

"It's okay. Everything you're feeling right now; the fear, the joy, the wonder. I get that."

"Seriously? After all this time?"

"Ya, why do you think I keep going." He said smiling at her. Her eyes shinned bright with excitement.

Donna walked through the two TARDIS doors, closing them behind her. She smiled when she sensed the Doctor next to her.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"A bit cold." She answered walking further into the snow.

"Look at that view!" he said throwing his arms open. Snow danced from the sky falling around the Doctor and Donna

"Ya, beautiful, cold view."

He walked father into the snow taking in the gorgeous scenery. He kept talking to Donna even though she had disappeared back into the TARDIS.

"How about that Donna?" He said turning around to see her gone. His smile faded. "Donna?" he whispered. The TARDIS doors open and out stepped Donna Noble in a gray coat with fur inside he hood.

The coat went down to her knees. She had the hood up over her head warming her ears. The Doctor looked at her funny.

"Sorry, you were saying?"

"Better?" He asked her.

"Lovely, thanks."

"Comfy?" He asked his face seemingly frozen into it an odd look.

"Ya." came her reply.

"Can you hear anything in that?" he asked. She walked further up to him.

"Pardon?" he leaned his head back and rolled his eyes.

"Alright I was saying; citizen if the Earth-" his voice was covered by the sound of a rocket flying over head. They looked up watching it fly across the sky. Donna hit the Doctor playfully in the arm.

"Blimey a real proper rocket. Now that's what I call real proper spaceship. You've got a box, he's got Ferrari. Come on lets see where it's going. " They both walked off in the direction of the ship.

They walked and walked, but no matter how far they walked they just couldn't stop laughing. They didn't no why they were laughing they just were.

"Donna take down your hood. Listen you hear that? It's like a song."

"Doctor? I don't hear anything."

"Over there." He said running behind a snow covered hill. He kneeled down next to an alien. Its head looked like that of a squids' and it had an odd looking orb in it left hand.

Donna sighed, "What is it?" she asked kneeling down on the other side of the thing.

"It's an ood. It's called an ood." He pulled out his stethoscope and started to check for a pulse.

"I don't know where the heart is, I don't know if he has a heart. Donna, talk to him; keep him awake."

"Ummm, it's alright, we got ya. What's your name?"

The Ood looked at Donna the orb started to glow when it talked, "Designated Ood, Delta 50."

"My name's Donna. He's the Doctor. Just what you need a Doctor."

"The circle-"

"No, don't try to talk."

"The circle must be broken."

"Delta 50 what circle? What circle? Delta 50?" The Doctor asked watching the Ood's eyes close then re-open. The Ood's eyes were red the Doctor jumped over him and grabbed Donna pulling her away from it.

They watched as Delta 50 sat up its eyes glowing red, then Delta 50 collapsed, hitting the snow taking its last breath before dying.

"It's gone. We were too late." She walked over to it and patted its head. "What's an ood?"

"They're servants. There semi telepathic. That was the song; it was his mind calling out for help."

"I couldn't hear anything." She stood up and walked back towards the doctor.

"His eyes turned red."

"What does that mean?"

"Come on." They walked away, "Last time I saw them they were possessed. A force was strong enough to take them over causing them to attack people."

"What was the force?"

"It was the Devil. It must be something different this time though. Ah ha! A civilization." He said resting his body against the snow, looking down at a plantation of some sort.

~~~~~10 minutes later~~~~~

The Doctor and Donna ran through a crowd of people.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Noble and this is Donna Noble." He said showing his blank ID to the woman.

"Representing the Noble corporation, PLC, limited intergalactic." Donna said smiling at the Woman.

"My apologies must have fallen of my list. It won't happen again. Now Dr. Noble Mrs. Noble if you'll fallow me." The woman said.

Donna sighed, "Oh no were not married." Said the Doctor his finger swinging between him and Donna.

"So not married." Donna continued.

"Never."

"Never ever." Donna said finishing up their non couple rant. Who was she kidding; she knew she had a small thing for him. She looked up at the doctor and frowned slightly.

"Of course. And here are your informational packets. Now if you'll fallow me." The Doctor walked behind the woman fallowed by Donna. He looked at Donna, her facial expression was not one that he'd had like to seen.

It wasn't her normal happy go-lucky expression. No; this expression seemed as if she was disappointed, but at what? That's what he wanted to know.

They walked through the snow passed a few warehouses that the woman explained as just 'simple storage units.' Finally they walked into a room with 6 to 10 Ood standing in a straight line.

The Doctor could hardly pay attention to what the Woman was saying. All he could concentrate on was Donna's expression. His mind ran countless excuses as of why her expression could be this way.

Finally the Doctor walked past everybody that was in the room and up to a platform. He took out his sonic screwdriver and aimed it at the top panel. Within a second a solar system appeared in front of him he called Donna over.

He explained to her about the Ood spear and about the year of the greatest human run empire in the year 4126. Dona was dumb founded at the year.

"It's 4126? What's the Earth like now?"

"Oh we-ell. Okay but you see the empire stretches out across 3 galaxies."

"That's weird, I mean its brilliant, but back home the papers and the Tellie are all saying that we ain't got long to live. You know global warming, flooding, and all the bee's disappearing. Look at us we're across three galaxies. Do the Ood get a say in this?" She walked over the one of the Ood and taped it on the shoulder.

"Hello, can you tell me, are you all like this?"

"I'm sorry Miss I do not understand your question." The Ood said lifting the glowing orb as it talked.

"Why'd you call me Miss? Do I look single?" she asked. The Doctor looked at her his brows raised.

"Back to the point, Donna."

"Oh, yea right, sorry. What I mean is, are there any free Ood. Are there Ood running wild somewhere, like wilder beast?

"All Ood are meant to serve. If we did not serve, we would die."

"It couldn't have started like that. Before the humans what were you like?"

"The circle."

"What do you mean? What circle?" the Doctor asked his eyes growing intense behind those glasses.

"The circle, the circle must be broken."

"All Ood please return to all hospitality rooms please." The lay said standing on a podium her hands gesturing to two main doors on either side of the room.

"Donna?" he asked removing his glasses and placing them in an inner pocket of his jacket.

"What?" she asked looking up at him.

"Do fancy taking a walk of the beaten trail?" his eyes shimmered and she let a smile caress her face.

They walked outside where the wind blew Donna's hair into her red face. "So Doctor where are we going?"

The Doctor looked at her and then back to the pamphlet in his hands.

"Donna, remember when we passed a few warehouses that the guide explained as just 'simple storage units.'" He smiled. The Doctors and Donna's gaze met.

"Yea, so?" She said not getting the big picture, she rarely ever did.

"Well I have a crazy feeling that those, 'simple warehouses' aren't so simple after all!" he said placing both hands in his coat pockets.

"Yes, yes okay, but what I want to know is, is it cold there?"

The Doctor let out an aggravated sigh, "Yes Donna."

They walk for awhile till the Doctor noticed she still had that disappointed look in her eyes. He did his very best to let it go by, like he did with Rose or Martha from time to time, but something about Donna made him want to know what was wrong so badly that it drove him crazy. He turned and stopped in front of her.

"What's wrong Donna? That's the second time you've had that look on your face," he said pointing to her eyes, "look you don't have to tell me, but I would like to know if I can do anything to help you." he said as Donna and him started to walk again.

"I'm fine Doctor, really I am." Donna said looking somewhat angry at him. She walked in front of him and didn't look back even as he stopped in the snow.

"What did I say now?"

Donna continued to walk forward, but with every step she felt more and more guilty about what she had said to the Doctor.

"Oi, I've done it now. He was only trying to help and I acted like a small child. He probable hates me now." She let out a sigh and stopped. She let out a sniffle as she felt tears starting to drizzle down her face. She furiously wiped them away as her knees gave out and collapsed in the sterling white snow.

"Donna? What's wrong?"

"What, nothings wrong. Why would say that?" Donna asked placing a hand over her face trying to hide the tears she was crying.

"Because of the tears, that are sitting on your face." he pointed to them with his left hand, while the other gently removed her hand from her face showing the ice like tears.

Donna went to turn away from him. She didn't like the fact that she was crying and she hated that this man had such power to make her do so in the first place.

The Doctor cupped her face in both of his hands. Donna let out a whimper of pain as his hands touched her face. They were so warm that they burned her skin. The Doctor burrowed into her mind trying to find what the problem was.

Donna let her eyes fall shut and the warms circle through her cold body. She could feel his 2 hearts pulsating. When the Doctor opened his eyes he looked at her and furrowed his brows.

"Donna, stop it." She sighed and nodded.

"Fine, but just cause you fly around in space doesn't mean you have the right to rummage through my mind as if I was an open book! That stuff's private!" They got up and continued to walk to the warehouses.

"Well it's almost night fall Donna." Donna's eyes fell. This didn't seem right to her.

The Doctors full attention was to the pamphlet in his hands he didn't notice that Donna had stopped at a door. She looked at the door and then at the Doctor and whistled, loud.

"Doctor, over here."

"Where'd you learn to whistle?" He said taking running over to her and looking at the door.

Donna shrugged as he pulled out his sonic screw driver and the door opened, they walked in. Donna heard the alarm as the door closed behind them.

The doctor looked intrigued, "See that?" he said pointing to a giant claw. "That's used to load the ships with these crates, basically to deliver them all across the galaxies."

"You mean to say that these are full of?" she didn't need to finish the Doctor knew what she meant.

"What do you think?" he said walking over to a blue crate and opened it. There inside stood 100 or more Ood's. They both walked inside. When Donna walked inside she wrinkled her nose.

"It stinks." She silently whispered. "How many do you think there are in each one?" she asked. Donna looked at the Doctor.

"A hundred maybe more." he said. She took a few glances over at him.

"A whole giant empire built on slavery." She said vile rising in her throat.

"Well, it's not that different from your time." He said.

"Oi, I haven't got slaves." She protested looking at him.

"Where do you think your clothes came from?" Donna let out an angry chuckle.

"Is that why you travel around with a human by your side? Its not so you can show them the wonders of the universe, it's so you can take cheep shots at them." She spat looking at him dead in the eye.

"Sorry." He said looking away.

"Don't." she said pissy, she paused and smiled lightly. "Spaceman." She said pushing him with her shoulder slightly. He smiled and walked out of the crate fallowed by Donna.

Doctor looked at Donna, when the alarm went off. He grabbed her arm and started to pull her along. "That's us, come on!" she pulled her arm free and ran with him. She stopped as she saw a door.

"Doctor, there's a door!" she shouted, but he kept on running. Donna looked at the door. It opened and on the other side stood guys with guns.

"Don't move!" they shouted as they walked up to her.

Donna groaned as she let her head look up at the sky. The doctor finally stopped running noticing that Donna was gone.

"Where'd she go?" he asked looking behind him to see men with guns running after him. He could hear them giving him order to stop, but he refused too. He could also hear them grabbing Donna, and Donna being Donna trying to get free. His blood boiled at the thought of these men touching her.

"Get off of me!" Donna shouted. The men pulled her aside and opened a blue crate and tossing her in it shutting the door behind her. Donna turned to pound on the door.

The Doctor had out ran the officers and tried to find Donna, "Donna where are you?" he called running between the crates. The Doctor used his body weight to slam against the outer area of the crates. The doctor continued to call Donna's name as he walked. He heard a strange noise above him.

The Doctor looked up to see a giant crane fallowing him; he took off trying to escape the hand of this metal beast.

AS he ran he could feel the wind whip past him as he dogged another strike of the crane. He stumbled falling to the cold concrete ground. He looked up to see the crane high above him. He watched it fall and stop only a few feet above his body.

Donna was looking at the Ood as their eye's flashed red. She started to panic, yelling at them to stay away, and calling for the Doctor, begging for him to just run up and save her.

The Officers holding the Doctor lead him to a blue crate where he could hear Donna shouting. He looked up at a man bout 6 foot 2 with a gun.

"_Let me out of here!"_

"You better do as she says or you'll be in big trouble." The man looked at the doctor raising an eye brow, scanning this scrawny man up and down.

"Not from me, from her." He said trying not laugh.

"Open it up!" the man yelled. Two officers opened the crate and Donna ran out and into the Doctors arms.

"Shhh," He said trying to soothe her, "its okay. You're safe now." He said running his hand through her hair. She had a death grip on his suite.

"Never mind 'bout me. What about them?" she said letting go of the embrace and turning to the crate where the Ood had gotten out and started killing people. The Doctor turned to look in time to see the 6'2" tall man order everyone to open fire.

The guns roared and the Doctor grabbed Donna's hand and ducked. He tightened his grip oh her as he got up and started to run away, tugging Donna along.

The Doctor and Donna ran out the way they came Nightfall seemed closer than ever seeing as the sun was almost setting.

They ran until the Doctor pulled them up to another door. He let go of Donna and placed his palms on the door in front of him.

"Ah, Can you hear it?" he asked Donna. He took out his sonic and used it to open then door. Once he and Donna were in he shut it using his sonic again to shut it closed. The Doctor reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a flashlight.

He led Donna and himself down some stairs and to a cage where a bunch of Ood sat curled up together.

"Oi, my head." He groaned.

"What is it? Donna asked looking at him, her hand lying softly on his arm.

"You can't hear it? Singing." The last word was a whisper as he finally noticed the Ood, shinning the light on them. He walked up to a poll were he flipped the light switch. He turned the flashlight off and walked closer, as did Donna.

"They look different than the others." She talked quietly. The Ood saw them and became frighten moving farther into the cage.

"That's because their naturally born, un-processed Ood." He said looking at each one intently. He and Donna walked up to the cage as close as possible and knelt down.

"That's their song." The Doctor said.

"I don't hear anything."

"Do you want to?" he asked Donna looking at her. She turned to face him nodding.

"It's the song of captivity."

"Let me hear it." She said.

"Face me." The Doctor said. He placed his finger tips to her temple and closed his eyes. "Open your mind." He told her, "That's it. Hear it Donna. Hear the music." Donna heard the sad music and looked back at the Ood. Her mind became depressed as the tears freely flowed from her eyes.

"Take it away." She cried.

"You sure?"

"I can't bare it." She turned to face the Doctor again. He replaced his palms on her temple and shut his eyes once again. And like the last the time he reopened them, but this time he took away the noise that hurt her so.

"I'm sorry." She said shaking her head, re-facing the Ood.

"It's okay." He told her.

"But you can still hear it." She cried harder sharing his pain. Oh god how she wanted to take that pain away from him like he did to her.

"All the time." He said simple, looking at the Ood as well. The Ood huddled farther together as if they could sense danger coming. The Doctor raised his sonic and aimed it for the pad lock on the cage door. He and Donna entered once he unlocked it.

Donna heard a noise and looked at the doctor, "There breaking in."

"Ah, let 'em." He said kneeling in front of the Ood. Donna kneeled next to him. "What are you holding there?" he asked. The Ood scooted farther away from him.

"Friend; Doctor Donna friend." The Doctor said. The Ood wobbled closer to the Doctor and un-covered what he was holding.

"Is that-?" Donna couldn't bring herself to finish.

"Their brain." The Doctor finished for her.

"The Ood are born with their brains in their hands. They dissect the brain. If you did that to a human and got rid of the memories and emotions you wouldn't be Donna anymore we-ell you'd be an Ood; a processed Ood."

"So the companies cut off their brains." Donna said ready to vomit at any moment from the sickening thought of it.

"And stitch on the communicator." The Doctor said through gritted teeth.

"Lick a lobotomy." Donna said. The Ood tilted its head and looked at her as if it was trying to understand what she was saying. "I spent all this time trying to find you, because I thought it was so wonderful out here. I wanna go home." She finished the Doctor looked at her. His eyes were heart wrenching sad.

The door finally broke open and a man in a business suit walked in fallowed by one in a white lab coat and an Ood. The Doctor stood up and closed the cage door locking him and Donna in it. He saw a few men in holding guns and closed his eyes for a split second.

"What are you going to do about it!?" he asked, "Arrest me? Lock me up and throw me in a cage? Well you're too late." The Doctor stated pushing his face harder against the bars of the cage.

~~~~~10 minutes later~~~~~

"Ow!" Donna shrieked as the officer finished cuffing her. Donna could feel the cool metal of the cuffs scrape away her skin. The Doctor looked over at the officer who had just cuffed Donna, and gave his the death glare. No one hurt his Donna and got away with it.

(A few minutes of the Doctor being Doctor, he had managed to get him and Donna labeled as photo activists, get into yet another argument with another bad guy, and having Donna get involved by letting her speak that brilliant mind of hers and coming out with a great insult, which the Doctor liked. When all of the sudden an alarm went off which meant the people holding them hostage had to go, leaving Doctor and Donna to fend for themselves)

"Doctor what do we do now?" Donna asked when they had left. She turned her head to face him, fear evident on his face.

"Uh, I'm not sure at the moment Donna." She rolled her eyes.

"Great." She huffed. She heard gun fire coming close to where they were. She started to struggle, as well as the doctor. "Well do something. You're the one with all f the tricks!"

"These are really good hand cuffs." He said trying to get at least a hand lose.

"Well I'm glad of that. At least we got quality." She said sarcastically. They heard the door open; they stopped struggling and looked up to see a group of red eyed ood walking toward them. Doctor thought quickly he could feel Donna shaking next to him.

"Uh-hu, Doctor Donna friend." The Doctor said.

"The circle must be broken." Donna shouted.

"Uh-hu, Doctor Donna friend." "The circle must be broken." "Uh-hu, Doctor Donna friend." "The circle must be broken." They both repeated over and over again trying to get the Ood to stop.

The Ood raised their Communications device to their heads and stopped. They pulled it away from them as their eyes flashed back to normal. "Doctor Donna friends"

"Yes that's us. Friends."

"Ya that's me, friend." Donna said smiling.

"Oh, yes."

The Ood un-cuffed the Doctor and Donna. When they un-cuffed Donna, she felt a twinge of pain. Once her wrists were free she glanced down at them. She used her good hand to pull up her coat sleeve to reveal her bare skin. Dark blood covered her wrist.

The Doctor caught her eye and looked down at her arm. He saw the blood and nearly freaked. "Donna?" he asked silently.

"I'm fine, Doctor." She said letting her coat sleeve fall again, covering her wrist.

"Shall we go then?" he suggested. She nodded and fallowed him out the door, down the hall and outside were they say a war scene taking place. They ran down the stairs and onto the battle field. Ood and Men lay dead everywhere.

"I don't know where it is." He stated.

"What are we looking for?" Donna shouted over the gun fire.

"It's got to be under ground somewhere. Or in a cavern or a –a cave, or something." He said turning around in place looking in all directions for where this thing might be.

They caught eye of the man in the suit fallowed by the man in the lab coat walking into an old building. They fallowed them. While running the Doctor ran into an Ood.

"Sorry, we were uh, just going." He said backing away keeping a hand on Donna at all times.

"Doctor Donna friends." The Ood said walking to the old building, typing in the key to open the door.

The Door swooshed open and the Ood looked at Doctor and Donna and gestured for them to walk in.

"Thank you." The Doctor said waling in Donna fallowing not far behind. They jogged down a flight of stairs till they came to an open room where they saw the two men from earlier. Donna ran over to the railing and saw a giant brain, the Doctor rushed to her side.

"The Ood brain." Donna said. The Doctor nodded.

"A telepathic center. This is a shared mind connecting all the Ood in song." He gazed down at the brain pulsating. He could hardly hear the song due to all the zapping of the electro-ring surrounding the brain.

Donna heard a cocking sound and tapped the Doctor on the arm. The Doctor turned around to see the suited man holding a gun, pointed at them. Donna stood next to the Doctor who looked at the man with disgust. He was rambling on about something that neither the Doctor nor Donna paid attention to.

As he walked closer they saw the man I the lab coat right next to him. They were talking about how they were going to blow the rain up, in turn killing all of the Ood.

"You've got to be kidden' me?" Donna said as her gaze settled on the brain once again.

"They found that thing," The man said referring to the brain, "centuries ago, beneath the northern glacier.

"Those are pilloms." The Doctor said.

"The Circle. The circle must be broken." Donna said.

"It's damping the telepathic field. Stopping the Ood from connecting, for over 200 years." The Doctor stated his eyes wandering up and down the room that they were in.

"And Ood Sigma, you brought them here. I expected better." The man said.

"My apologies, my place is at your side sir." The Doctor watched as Ood Sigma walked over the suited man. The man gave a small chuckle.

Donna wasn't really paying attention; she turned to face the Doctor. "If that barrier stops the Ood from connecting then why did they start breaking out?"

The Doctor looked at her, "Maybe it's taken centuries to adapt. Subconscious reaching out."

"The process is too slow. It'd have to be accelerated." The man in the lab coat said, he turned to face his superior, "You never should have given me access to the controls. I lowered the barrier to its minimum. Friends of the Ood sir. It's taken me 10 years sir, to infiltrate the company, and I succeeded."

"Yes, yes you did." The suited man said. In one swift movement the suited man bent over and tossed the lab coated man over the railing and into the brain, where there he was consumed.

The Doctor leaned out across the railing when he had been tossed over to try to save him. The Doctor looked up at the suited man, who was smirking.

Donna's bottom lip trembled at realization of what had just happened. "You just murdered him." She said.

"Very observant, ginger." He said raising the gun to where it was now pointing at her. The Doctor saw this and wanted to that guy right there. He grabbed Donna's arms gently and pulled her to where she was behind a very protectively standing Doctor.

"Can say that I've never shot anyone before, and can't say I probably won't like it, but then again it's not a very normal day, is it?" The man said as he started to choke slightly on something.

"Do you want a drink sir?" Ood sigma said walking in front of the Doctor and Donna.

"If you're going to stand in there way, I'll shot you too."

"Please have a drink sir." He said again. The Doctor placed a hand on Ood sigma's shoulder. The suited man's eyes went wide. The gun clattered to the floor.

"What have you done to me?" he asked ood sigma. "Have you poisoned me?"

"Actual Ood must never kill sir."

"What is that stuff?" the Doctor asked.

"Ood grats, suspended in a biological compound, sir." He answered the Doctor.

"What the hell does that mean?" the suited man bellowed.

"Oh, dear." The Doctor said.

"Tell me!" he shouted.

"The funny thing the subconscious, it takes all sorts of shapes. It came out of the red eyes revenge, came out of the rapid Ood's anger, and then their was patience." The Doctor smiled. "How's that hair loss, Mr. Harlan?"

Mr. Harlan raised his hand to his head. He touched his head and pulled out a huge clump of it. Donna's eyes widened, she was finally getting the bigger picture.

Mr. Harlan started to shake. His words slurred together until finally he turned into an Ood, himself.

"They turned him into and Ood." Donna said a bit shaken up.

"Yup." The Doctor said.

"He's an Ood." Donna pointed to the former Mr. Harlan.

"I noticed." The Doctor said a bit annoyed.

"He has become Ood kind. And we will take care of him." Ood Sigma said.

Donna placed her hands to her temples and closed her eyes. "It's weird. Being with you I can't tell what's right and what's wrong anymore."

"Its better that way, trust me." A beeping sound caught everyone's attention. The Doctor ran over to the railing and un-screwed the bomb. The Doctor was allowed the honor of breaking the circle.

~~~~~ later~~~~~

"The message was sent out. That song was registered all across the galaxy, everyone heard it. Everyone knows, the rockets are bringing them back. The ood are coming home." He smiled

We thank you Doctor Donna, friends of Ood kind. Will you stay? There is room in the Ood song for you." Ood Sigma suggested. Dona smiled at the suggestion.

"Oh no, I- I sort of got a song of my own thanks."

"I think your song must end soon."

"Meaning?" he asked. He knew that wasn't good. Only a select few Time Lords get to live, and that can only be accomplished is if they do a great deed, and obviously he has yet to accomplish that deed.

"Every song must end."

"Ya." He turned to Donna. "Um, what about you, you still wanna go home?" he whispered. She smiled at him and shook her head.

"No defiantly not."

"Then we'll be off." He said facing back towards the Ood.

The ood gathered in a circle and raised both of their arms, like you would do in church, "Take this song with you."

"We will." Donna said sweetly.

"Always." Doctor added.

"And know this Doctor Donna, you will never be forgotten. Our children will sing of the Doctor Donna, and our children's children, and the winds, the ice, and the snow will carry your names forever."

The Doctor and Donna turned away to the TARDIS. The Doctor put his arm around Donna's waist, and for some reason she didn't seem to mind.

The Doctor looked over at Donna's smiling face and sent the TARDIS controls for there next adventure.

~ANote: Not meant to be like the episode and some spelling mistakes are meant to be like that. Oh and sorry it took so long next chapter will be up way sooner. Promise! ^^


	5. The Coffee Shop

Donna sighed, wrapping her hands around her warm coffee mug as she peered around the semi-busy coffee shop for The Doctor. The ceramic cup's warmth felt nice on her hands from the chilly winter air of outside.

About ten minutes ago The Doctor had suggested a slight break to relax, Donna didn't argue over the idea.

She set her cup down to unwrap the scarf that was still on her neck, setting it over her jacket on the back of her chair.

The Doctor walked up to the table carrying a cup of coffee and a box of donuts. Olivia's head looked up and a smile came over her face to see The Doctor standing over her with a grin.

"Hey Donna listen," He started, sitting down in the seat across from her on the little round table. He shrugged off his coat and smiled at her.

"What's wrong?" She asked curiously.

The Doctor reached to take a sip of the coffee cup that Donna had purchased for him. "I was just wondering if you were sure. Uh- I mean if you really wanted to stay and travel with me."

Donna nodded and took a sip of her own cup. She was tempted to argue and state that he was being paranoid, and that he shouldn't be asking such silly questions, but she didn't want to damper his good mood, or that handsome smile.

Looking at his eyes, she wondered why they were so light and…happy.

When he didn't speak, she said as cautiously as she could, "Is everything okay Doctor?" The Doctor really didn't like talking about him self Donna had found that out the hard way.

Instead of anger, The Doctor surprisingly chuckled. "Yes, I just want to talk with you like best friends do. And beside I figured you could use sometime off of the constant danger threats."

"About? And I've come to expect danger with you, Doctor. I mean it might have only been my second adventure with you, but a girl can catch on quickly." She said looking down at her coffee.

The warm air of the coffee shop was starting to take affect, so Donna shed her grey hoodie that she was wearing over her shirt. The hoodie was originally her dad's, but he had given it to her after she had taking a liking to 'borrowing' it often, when she was a little girl.

He looked at her, loving the way her pretty brown eyes twinkled when she was curious. "Oh the usual, just wondering if you like traveling with a time lord and all." He flashed his famous Doctor-grin.

Donna nodded and leaned back in her chair. "It's been great, Doctor. It really has."

"Had any luck trying to get hold of your mother lately?" He asked his smirk fading.

"Well, granddad said that she's been distracting herself lately, but he thinks she'll calm down in a week or two." She said taking a sip of her coffee.

"Hmm, that's good. Do you wish to go home; I know you've been missing your mommy." He joked, yet being partially serious.

Donna grinned at his child-ness towards her. One more thing on her list of things to love about him. "Yea."

A laugh bubbled out from her lips. She just _had _to laugh at The Doctor's facial expression of pure shock. "Just kidding, Doctor."

He watched her laugh in pure wonderment. The sound was music to his ears; it was only a rare occasion he actually heard Donna noble laugh in a happy way.

"Well," He said, playing along. "I guessed as much, I'll have to leave you all alone again."

Donna's eyes sparkled as she laughed again, this time with The Doctor. Although this time the Doctor heard something different in her laugh, it wasn't happiness, but pain.

He gently laid his hand over her hand that was resting on the edge of the table.

She stared down at The Doctor's hand splayed over hers, shocked. They never held hands. She liked the feeling.

"This is…" He stumbled for words. "Nice." Tenderly, he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "You know, not running from danger every 10 seconds." He smirked.

By this time, most of the customers had wandered out into the light snow flakes. There were still a couple of people reading or chatting quietly, but not as many as before.

"So Donna… I kind of wanted to tell you something…" He said awkwardly, flustered.

"What is it, Doctor?"

He shakily tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. _This is it,_ He told himself. "I… err… I-I'm just so glad that you get to see the wonders of the galaxies, Donna." He chickened out. He didn't know why he was so afraid of telling her this.

Donna's eyebrows rose questioningly. The Doctor immediately removed his hand and realized that she might slap him here and there, for some strange and unfathomable reason. "I'm so, so, sorry, I didn't-"

He was cut off in mid-sentence by Donna speaking. "Oi, Spaceman grow up." She leaned back against her chair, "You act as if you were about to be mauled by a lion or something. Relax, and you were right. I'm so glad that I get to see the galaxies with you and see time as well."

The Doctor looked at her smirking, "Ya, I do need to relax." They stood up. Pulling their coats back on, The Doctor had grabbed the donuts and his coffee.

Donna picked up her coffee and walked past the Doctor. She stopped quickly as if she remembered something.

She turned to face the Doctor, her hand raise above her head. In a split second that very same hand had collided with the Doctor cheek.

She turned back around in huff, and continued to walk off. "And that's for tapping into my mind as I sleep, you perv.!" she shouted.

The Doctor blinked wildly at the sudden pang of guilt and pain wash through him. He composed himself and walked out of the coffee shop, leaving a bunch of wide eyed by standers.

_Wonder how long she's known? _The Doctor wondered as he entered the TARDIS doors were he and Donna were to begin a new adventure.

~ANote: This is a side story! Which means this is based off of my pure imagination!!!


	6. the Sontaran Stagema&The Posion sky

_Inside the TARDIS Donna stood at the controls, with the Doctor watching on. Donna looked over the moon, the Doctor looked worried. _

"I can't believe I'm doing this!"** Donna said her voice filled with glee. The Doctor continued to watch her with paranoid eyes. **

**"**No, neither can I." He mumbled as he_ continues to watch on as she activated some controls.__The TARDIS started to act up so he rushed over to her side. "_Oh, careful!" he scolded. He n_udges her aside, gives the console a whack with the mallet and activates another control. He moves aside allowing Donna control again. He is watching the scanner eagerly with the mallet held closely to him incase something else went wrong._

**The Doctor couldn't believe she was doing this. He saw a mistake that she had made and quickly corrected her. "**Left hand down, left hand down!" _Donna pulled down a control with her left hand and the TARDIS lurches. The Doctor regains control for a second. Donna stands by looking agitated. She knew she could do this without his help._

**"**Getting a bit too close to the 1980s!" he said stepping aside once again.

"What am I gonna do? Put a dent in 'em?" she spat turning her head away from him.

"Well, someone did." He mumbled with a roll of his eyes.

_A mobile phone rings, Donna looks at the Doctor, the Doctor looks concerned. He moves around the console to the source of the ringing._

"Hold on. That's a phone!" she said in bewilderment_. __The Doctor pulls a mobile phone from a hold in the console._

"You've got a mobile? Since when?" she questioned her hands resting on her hips. The Doctor raised his eyes and noticed that Donnas' tang top beneath her shirt was low, a little too low. His eyes fell back upon the mobile.

"It's not mine." He said. Donna sighed and went back to flying the TARDIS. He answers the phone and sits down next to the console.

**"H**ello?" Donna heard him answer. _Since when did he get a mobile? And why is he acting like it the end of the world? _Donna questioned in her mind. He heard him mumble a few sentences and then hung up.

_The Doctor takes control of the TARDIS and fly's them to Earth, leaving Donnas' questions unanswered. Once on Earth the Doctor pops his head out. Looks one way then the other and sees Martha standing waiting for him. _

_Donna stood in the TARDIS feeling abandoned. The whole way to Earth the Doctor didn't say one word to her. She had a gut feeling that it was nothing, but she couldn't erase the thought that it was her flying the TARDIS, like she did, that put him off. She heard the two of them talking and figured it best that she go out and say hi to whoever it was._

_Donna starts to walk towards the door of the TARDIS.__Donna stepped out of the TARDIS. The Doctor looked around at her and smiled. Martha looked over the Doctor to see Donna._

**"**Right. Should have known. Didn't take you long to replace me then." Martha said trying to hide the hurt she felt. Doctor looked back towards her and frowned.

**"**Now, don't start fighting. Martha, Donna. Donna, Martha. Please don't fight, can't bear fighting." He stated putting his hands in his pockets.

**"**You wish." Donna scoffed. _She walked forward and shakes Martha's hand._"I've heard all about you. He talks about you all the time." She smiled at Martha.

**"**I dread to think." Martha replied.

**"**No, no, no. No. He says nice things. Good things. Nice things. Really... good things." Donna quickly said trying to avoid a conflict.

"Oh my god, he's told you everything."

"Didn't take long to get over it though. Who's the lucky man?"

"What man? Lucky what?" the Doctor said looking at Martha's hand confused. Donna rolled her eyes and grabbed Martha's hand and shoved it in the Doctors face.

"She's engaged, you prawn." _Martha waves her hand with a ring on it as Donna lets go of her grip on her._

**"**Really, who to?" The Doctor asked kind of hurt.

**"**Tom. Tom Milligan. He's in pediatrics. Working out in Africa right now, and yes, I know. I've got a doctor who disappears off to distant places. Tell me about it." Martha replied excited.

"Is he skinny?" Donna asked her. Martha looked confused, but answered anyways.

"No, he's sort of... strong." Donna smiles as she _gestured towards the Doctor._

"HE is too skinny for words! You give him a hug, you get a paper cut." Donna joked, putting an extra emphasis on the word 'He'. Martha laughed. The Doctor threw his head back and groaned.

"Oh, I'd rather you were fighting." He said.

**"**Speaking of which..." she said before a voice interrupts her._ "_Dr Jones, report to base please. Over." A voice on a walkie-talkie says. Martha grabbed it from its holder and put to her face. "This is Dr. Jones. Operation Blue Sky is go, go, go. I repeat, this is a go!"

_Martha, Donna, and the Doctor walk around, but stop and stand by as UNIT soldiers, trucks, and vans roll by. Donna could hear loudspeakers go off and people shouting, but really didn't care what they said. She looked at the Doctor._

**"**Greyhound Six to Trap One. B Section, go, go, go! Search the ground floor, grid pattern Delta." She heard Martha shout.

"What are you searching for?" The Doctor asked as he watched Martha's actions closely.

**"**Illegal aliens." She replied. Donna winced as another loudspeaker sounded. "B section mobilized! E section, F section, on my command!" Martha yelled. _She runs off, commanding the action. UNIT men grasp workers in blue suits and point guns at their heads._

**"**Is that what you did to her? Turn her into a soldier?" Donna asked the Doctor. She looked at him, her eyes searching for his. _The Doctor looked uneasy._ After a few minutes _Martha walks back to where the Doctor and Donna are standing._

"And you're qualified now? You're a proper doctor." The Doctor said trying to change the subject. He looked down at Donna and sighed. He didn't want Donna to be subjected to this.

**"**UNIT rushed it through given my experience in the field. Here we go." Martha said. Martha pushed them to start walking. Donna reached for the Doctor's hand, but he brushed it aside and walked up next to Martha.

"What are they doing?" he asked her.

"We're establishing a field base on site. They're dying to meet you."

"Wish that I could say the same." He said under his breath. Martha eyed him upon hearing his remark. _They walked into a huge long truck. It's a big moving military office. Martha walked towards a man._

**"**Operation Blue Sky complete, sir. Thanks for letting me take the lead. And, this is the Doctor. Doctor, Colonel Mace."

"Sir!" the Colonel said saluting to the Doctor, completely ignoring Donnas' presence.

"Oh, don't salute." The Doctor said disgusted at the gesture.

"Well, it's an honor, sir! I've read all the files on you and, technically speaking, you're still on staff. You never resigned."

**"**What, you used to work for them?" Donna looked astonished. She thought that the Doctor was completely against violence. The colonel looked at Donna just then noticing her.

"Yeah, long time ago. Back in the 70s, or was it the 80s? But it was all a bit more homespun back then." He said rubbing the back of the neck.

"Times have changed, sir." The Colonel said.

**"**Yeah, that's enough of the 'sir'." The Doctor said taking his gaze off of the Colonel.

**"**Come on now Doctor, you've seen it. You've been on board the Valiant. We've got massive funding from the United Nations. All in the name of home world security." Martha said.

"A modern UNIT for a modern world." Said the Colonel. Donna figured she better speak up before they completely forgot she was there.

"What, and that means arresting ordinary factory workers? In the streets, in broad daylight? It's more like Guantanamo Bay out there. Donna, by the way. Donna Noble, since you didn't ask. I'll have a salute." She said. Her hands flew up to her hips and the Doctor prepared for the Colonel to get slapped.

**"**Ma'am." He said saluting her. His eyes showed annoyance with her tongue.

"Thank you." Donna said pulling on her shirt. The Doctor raised an eyebrow and looked at her amused. Donna caught his glance and smirked. Martha saw the two of them and got a weird feeling that they were flirting with each other. She shrugged it off and looked at the Doctor as he spoke up.

"Tell me. What's going on in that factory?" he said tearing his gaze from Donna.

"Yesterday 52 people died in identical circumstances, right across the world, in 11 different time zones. 5am in the UK, 6am in France, 8am in Moscow, 1pm in China." The Colonel answered.

"You mean they died simultaneously."

**"**Exactly. 52 deaths at the exact same moment, worldwide."

**"**How did they die?"

**"**They were all inside their cars." Colonel once again answered yet another question from the Doctor. Martha and Donna exchanged a glance of annoyance. They were being left out.

**"**They were poisoned. I checked the biopsies, no toxins. Whatever it is left the system immediately." Martha said.

**"**What have the cars got in common?" The Doctor asked.

**"**Completely different makes. They're all fitted with ATMOS. And _that_, is the ATMOS factory." She answered looking him in the eye.

"What's ATMOS?" the Doctor asked, he furrowed his brow and squinted his eyes being curios. Donna rolled her eyes and stepped up next to him.

**"**Oh, come on. Even I know that. Everyone's got ATMOS!" she smirked, finally out smarting the Doctor. _They walk on a corridor overlooking the main factory area._

**"**Stands for Atmospheric Omission System. Fit ATMOS in your car, reduces CO2 emissions to zero." Martha told them.

**"**Zero?! No carbon, none at all?" the Doctor said clearly not buying it.

**"**Oh yes. Sat-nav and 20 quid in shopping vouchers if you introduce a friend. Bargain!" Donna stated looking at him. There eyes met and she felt herself starting to get hot. Martha caught this and smirked to herself.

**"**And this is where they make it, Doctor. Shipping worldwide. 17 factories across the globe, but this is the central depot, sending ATMOS to every country on Earth." The Colonel said, adding to Donnas' statement. This brought the Doctor and Donna out of their trance.

**"**And you think ATMOS is alien?" He asked looking at the Colonel.

**"**It's our job to investigate that possibility, Doctor?" he said. _They walked on, passing through the area where the UNIT soldiers are still investigating the workers. _Dona heard one of the soldiers holler at worker she shrieked back a bit to have the Doctor put a reassuring hand on her arm.

Donna remembering the way he pushed her hand away, so she tore her arm away from his grip and walked farther up. The Doctor looked at the back of her head and wondered what he had done wrong. _Colonel Mace, the Doctor, Donna, and Martha arrived at an office._

"And here it is, laid bare. ATMOS can be threaded through any and every make of car." The Colonel said.

**"**You must've checked it, before it went on sale." The Doctor said placing his glasses on his head.

**"**We did, we found nothing. That's why I thought we needed an expert." Martha said placing a hand on the Doctors shoulder. Donna crossed her arms across her chest and let the feeling of Jealousy burn her cheeks.

**"**Really, who'd you get?" the Doctor said feeling that the tension in the room getting bigger. _She doesn't answer, just looks at him meaningfully, so does Donna and Colonel Mace. _

**"**Oh, right! Me! Yes! Good." The Doctor said getting the clue.

"OK, so why would aliens be so keen on cleaning up our atmosphere?" Martha asked removing her hand.

**"**Very good question." The Doctor said.

"Maybe they want to help. Get rid of pollution and stuff." Donna suggested.

**"**Do you know how many cars there are on planet Earth? 800 million. Imagine that. If you could control them, you'd have 800 million weapons." The Doctor stated looking at her. "Ionizing nano membrane carbon dioxide converter - which means that ATMOS works. Filters the CO2 at a molecular level." He said shifting his gaze to the Colonel who coughed.

**"**We know all that, but what's its origin? Is it alien?" the Colonel asked. Donna rolled her eyes and walked off not really caring about what they were discussing. The Doctor saw this and just turned to face Martha.

**"**No. Decades ahead of its time."_Martha and the Doctor bent over the ATMOS device, the Doctor continued as he felt the Colonel breathing down his neck,_ "Look, do you mind, could you stand back a bit?"

**"**Sorry, have I done something wrong?" he said standing up straight looking offended.

"You're carrying a gun. I don't like people with guns hanging around me, all right?" The Doctor stated simply, not even bothering to look at him.

"If you insist." He said before leaving _offended._

**"**Tetchy." She said raising an eyebrow.

**"**Well, it's true." He said.

"He's a good man!" she argued.

"People with guns are usually the enemy in my books. You seem quite at home." He said looking at her for a bit. She smiled.

"If anyone got me used to fighting it's you."

"Oh, right, so it's my fault." He said with sarcasm in his voice.

**"**Well, you got me the job! Besides, look at me. Am I carrying a gun?"

"Suppose not."

**"**It's all right for you. You can just come and go, but some of us have got to stay behind. So I've got to work from the inside and by staying inside, maybe I stand a chance of making them better."

"Yeah?That's more like Martha Jones." He smiled at her.

"I learned from the best." She smiled back and stood up. The Doctor fallowed suite.

**"**Well..." he said rubbing the back of his neck. Donna stood at the door carrying some folders. She coughed, announcing her presence. The both looked at her oddly. Donna looked offended for some reason.

**"**Oi, you lot! All your storm troopers and your sonics... You're rubbish! Should've come with me." She said walking further into the room. The colonel walking in behind her and stepping off to the side.

**"**Why, where have you been?" the Doctor asked stepping up.

**"**Personnel. That's where the weird stuff's happening - in the paperwork. Cos I spent years working as a temp, I can find my way round an office blindfold, and the first thing I noticed is an empty file." Donna said walking up to them laying down a binder on the table.

**"**Why, what's inside it? Or what's not inside it?" the Doctor said placing his glasses back inside his pockets.

**"**Sick days. There aren't any. Hundreds of people working here and no one's sick. Not one hangover, man flu, sneaky little shopping trip, nothing. Not ever! They don't get ill." Donna said smug like. The Doctor couldn't help but smirk at the face of Colonel.

"That can't be right." He said astonished.

**"**You've been checking out the building - should've been checking out the workforce." Donna said smiling. Her eyes light up as the doctor smiled giving the greatest respect he could give.

"I can see why he likes you." Martha smiled, meaning what she said in a different way then they interpreted it. The Doctor caught on, and blushed as he shifted his gaze to Donna's bright face.

**"**Mm-hmm." She said praising herself.

**"Y**ou are good." Martha complemented

"Super temp!" Donna smiled.

**"**Doctor Jones, set up a medical post, start examining the workers. I'll get them sent through." The Colonel ordered, before walking off.

"Come on, Donna. Give me a hand." Martha asked before her and Dona left.

_The Doctor runs after Colonel Mace. Together they walked along a corridor._

**"**So this, this ATMOS thing. Where did it come from?" asked the Doctor.

**"**Luke Rattigan himself." The colonel said sticking his chest out as if he was proud. They stopped as the Colonel gained access to a computer. He pulled up a profile.

**"**And 'himself' would be?" the doctor asked turning to face the computer screen.

**"**Child genius. Invented the Fountain 6 search engine, when he was 12 years old. Millionaire overnight. Now runs the Rattigan Academy. A private school, educating students, handpicked from all over the world."

**"**A hothouse for geniuses, wouldn't mind going there." The Doctor shrugged. _Colonel Mace looked at him puzzled._

**"**I get lonely." He stated

****

_Martha sat at a desk looking through binders. Donna picked up a chair and set it down next to her._

**"**D'you think I should warn my mum? About the ATMOS in her car?" she asked.

**"**Better safe then sorry." Martha said looking up at her.

**"**I'll give her a call." Donna said about ready to get up. Her stomach felt sick. The last time she saw her mum, was when she had kicked her and the Doctor out.

**"**Donna. Do they know where you are? Your family, I mean that you're travelling with the Doctor?"

**"**Not really. Although... My granddad sorta knows. I didn't have time to explain."

**"**You just left him behind?" Martha asked stunned.

"No I had no choice. You see the Doctor came to my house one night and we were talking my mum came in and yelled at us. I felt like a teen again." Donna chuckled, "she kicked me and the Doc out, before I could explain anything."

**"**I didn't tell my family, kept it all so secret. And it almost destroyed them."

**"**In what way?"

**"**They ended up imprisoned. They were tortured. My mom. My dad. My sister. It wasn't the Doctor's fault, but... you need to be careful. 'Cos you know the Doctor. He's wonderful. He's brilliant. But he's like fire. Stand too close and people get burnt."

****

Donna sees the Doctor and decides she best tell him that she's leaving. She walks up to him. "Doctor..."

**He turned around to face her. "**Oh, just in time! Come on! Come on, we're going to the country. Fresh air and geniuses, what more could you ask?"

**"**I'm not coming with you." His grin faded. What did she mean? He just stared at her.

**"**I've been thinking. I'm sorry, I'm going home." The Doctor froze. He couldn't breath, he couldn't think. Had she really just told him that she was leaving? What? Why now?

**"**Really?" he asked. This wasn't happening. He had to be dreaming. He couldn't bare to loose her. He prayed that she was joking. He looked into her eyes.

**"**I've got to." She said shaking her head. She could see pain in his eyes. He just didn't get it.

**"**Well, if that's what you want. I mean it's a bit soon... I had so many places I had wanted to take you. The Fifteenth Broken Moon of the Medusa Cascade, the Lightning Skies of Cotter Palluni's World, Diamond Coral Reefs of Kataa Flo Ko... Thank you. Thank you, Donna Noble, it's been brilliant. You've... you've saved my life in so many ways. You're..." he looked into Donna's eyes as realization dawned on him. He rubbed the back of his neck. _"_You're just popping home for a visit, that's what you mean."

**"**You dumbo!"

**"**And then you're coming back."

**"**Know what you are? A great big outer-space dunce." Donna smiled at him.

**"**Yeah."

**"**Ready when you are, sir." A soldier said saluting him.

**"**How 'bout you give me a lift. Come on!" They climbed into the Jeep driving off in the direction of Donna's neighborhood.

**"**Broken moon of what?" Donna asked as the wind blew her red hair across her face.

**"**I know, I know."

They reach a quiet road as the Doctor and Donna climbed out. The Doctor holds her hand as he helps her down off of the jeep. Donna could have sworn that she had felt his thumb run small circles on the back of her hand.

**"I**'ll walk the rest of the way. I'll see you back at the factory, yeah?" she said to the Doctor as he climbed back into the jeep.

**"**Bye!" he called raising his hand.

**"**And you be careful!" she called as she watched the jeep pull away and drive off. She turns and starts to walk down her street. She can't believe that she's actually home.

_She walks past a boy playing football, and relives her recent adventures with the Doctor in her mind. _

_Flashes of her hanging from the window cleaning platform, the Pyrovile, trying to save a little boy from the eruption of Vesuvius, crying through the bars of the Ood cage, and an Adipose baby floating up to join its family all flicker past. _

_She sees her house. Wilf is in the driveway, taking out some rubbish. Both he and Donna stopped dead as they catch sight of each other. Donna places a hand to her mouth, overwhelmed by emotion, as Wilf frantically beckons her over. She begins to run and they meet in a giant embrace._

****

**"**I said so, didn't I? Aliens. I said they were real! I just didn't expect them in a little blue box." Wilf said handing Donna her cup of tea and sitting down.

**"**It's bigger on the inside"

**"**Yeah but is it safe? This... Doctor, are you safe with him?" he asked her. Donna turned her gaze to the ceiling. She couldn't help the school girl blush that over took her.

**"**He's amazing, Gramps. He's just... dazzling. And never tell him I said that." She looked back at him smiling.

**"**No." she was surprised.

**"**But I'd trust him with my life."

**"**Hold up, I thought that was my job!" he said acting hurt.

"You still come first." She smiled. He reached over the table and laid his hand on hers.

**"**Well, for god's sake don't tell your mother!"

**"**I dunno... I mean this is massive. Sort of not fair if she doesn't know." Donna said just as _Sylvia entered from the garden carrying a basket full of laundry._

**"**Doesn't know what? And who's she, the cat's mother? And where've you been these past few days, lady, after that silly little trick with the car keys? I phoned Veena and she said she hadn't seen hide nor hair."

**"**I've just been... travelling." She said sheepishly.

**"**Oh, hark at her! Michael Palin! Are you staying for tea? Cos I haven't got anything in. I've been trying to keep your granddad on that macrobiotic diet, but he sneaks off and gets pork pies at the petrol station." Wilf looked offended and tried to protest.

**"**Don't deny it; I've seen the wrappers in the car. Oh, I don't miss a trick. Now then, what were you gonna tell me? What don't I know?" Donna looked at Wilf and saw that her was giving her a measured look.

**"**Nothing. Just... nothing." She replied taking a sip of her tea. Wilf slyly beams at Donna. She just smiles with her eyes.

**"**Good. Right, then you can sit there and cut out those coupons. Every penny helps. This new mortgage doesn't pay for itself. Dad, kettle on." Wilf _rises from the table_

"_Y_eah, kettle." He winked at Donna as he walked past her.

_****_

_The Doctor stood outside of Donna's house as he rang the Doorbell. He patiently till Donna answered the door. _

**"**You would not believe the day I'm having." He said smiling. He grabbed Donna's arm and pulled her to the Noble's car. _The Doctor walked around the Nobles' car, bending down to check the ATMOS attached underneath. The soldier and Donna stood nearby, Donna trying to get a hold of Martha. The Doctor opened the hood and peered inside._

**"**I'll requisition us a vehicle." The soldier said.

**"**Anything without ATMOS. Don't point your gun at people!" he said just before the soldier ran off. Wilf appeared from the house and walked over to Donna.

**"**Is it him? Is it him? Is it the Doctor?" Wilf asked her before leaving her side to peer around the hood. He caught a slight glimpse of the Doctor.

_"_Ah! It's _you_!" he cried throwing his hands in the air.

**"**Who?" The Doctor questioned looking up at Wilf. "Oh! It's you!" he said cheerfully.

**"**What, have you met before?!" Donna asked puzzled.

**"**Yeah, Christmas Eve. He disappeared right in front of me!" Wilf said pointing at the Doctor.

**"**And you never said?!"

**"**Well _you_ never said! Wilf, sir. Wilfred Mott. You must be one of them aliens?!" he extends a hand for the Doctor.

**"**Well - yeah, but don't shout it out." _he shakes Wilf's hand.__ "_Nice to meet you properly, Wilf."

**"**Oh, an alien hand...!" Wilf looked at his hand as if it was the 8th wonder of the world. The Doctor looked up at Donna.

**"**Donna, anything?"

**"**She's not answering. What is it, Sontorans?" the Doctor looked at her annoyed.

**"**Sontarans. But there's got to be more to it, they can't be just remote controlling cars. That's not enough. Is anyone answering?"

**"**Hold on."

********

**"**Don't tell me... Donna Noble." Martha said answering the phone.

********

**"**Martha! Hold on, he's here." Donna said handing the Doctor the mobile.

**"**Martha, tell Colonel Mace it's the Sontarans. They're in the file, Code Red, Sontarans. But if they're inside the factory tell them not to start shooting. UNIT will get massacred. I'll get back as soon as I can, you got that?" The Doctor let out a breath when he heard Martha reply. They hung up._ Handing the phone back to Donna, he pulled out his sonic screwdriver to fiddle with the car engine, and the ATMOS that was attached. _

**"**But you tried sonicking it before, you didn't find anything." Donna said standing behind him.

**"**Yeah, but now I know its Sontaran; I know what I'm looking for." He said running his sonic over the engine.

**"**The thing is, Doctor, is that Donna is my only grandchild. You gotta promise me you're gonna take care of her." Wilf stated. The Doctor grinned.

**"**She takes care of me!" he replied.

**"**Oh, yeah that's my Donna. Yeah, she was always bossing us around when she was tiny. The Little General we used to call her."

**"**Yeah, don't start." Donna begged her granddad.

**"**And some of the boys she used to turn up with, a different one every week! Yeah, who was that one with the nail varnish?"

**"**Matthew Richards. He lives in Kilburn now. With a man." A sound takes Donna and Wilf out of there conversation and back to they Doctor. Large spike stood on the ATMOS device.

_"_Whoa! It's a temporal pocket! I knew there was something else in there. It's hidden just a second out of sync with real time." The Doctor said backing up.

**"**But what's it hiding?" Donna asked looking between him and the spikes.

"I don't know, men and their cars! Sometimes I think if I was a car..." Sylvia said walking around the car to join the rest of them. She catches sight of the Doctor. "Oh, it's you! Doctor... what was it?"

"Yeah, that's me." The Doctor said waving; he buried his head under the bonnet.

**"W**hat, have you met him as well?" Wilf asked turning to look at his daughter.

**"**Dad! It's the man that was in Donna's room! When you were laid up with Spanish flu! I'm warning you, last time that man turned up it was a disaster!" suddenly a white gas consumes the area around them.

**"**Get back!" the Doctor said extending his hands.

"That'll stop it!" the Doctor said. _The sonic screwdriver finishes whirring as the smoke dies. The Doctor then rushes back to peer under the hood._

**"**I told you! He's blown up the car! Who is he anyway?! What sort of doctor blows up cars?!" Sylvia shouted.

"Oh, not now Mum!" Donna hushed.

**"**Oh, should I make an appointment?" Sylvia remarked coldly. She storms back over to the house.

**"**That wasn't just exhaust fumes... Some sort of gas. Artificial gas." The Doctor mumbled.

**"Th**an its aliens, is it? Aliens?" Wilf asked.

**"**But if... if it's poisonous... then we've got poisonous gas in every car on Earth." Donna said eyes frozen wide as realization dawned. Finale she got the bigger picture.

**"**It's not safe! I'm gonna get it off the street!" Wilf said climbing into the car. _The car door suddenly slammed shut and the locks all click into place. The car turned on and smoke began to pour from the exhaust pipe._

**"**Hold on!" She rushes to the side of the car to see Wilf hitting the window. _"_Turn it off! Granddad, get out of there!"

**"**I can't! It's locked! It's them aliens again!" he shouted. _Donna pulled at the car door, growing more frantic as fumes begin to seep into the car. Sylvia stopped outside the front door and turned back in horror__. _

**"**What's he doing? What's he done?" Sylvia asked rushing over.

**"**They've activated it!" the Doctor mumbled. _Donna frantically pulled at the car door again as Wilf gasped and choked._

**"**There's gas inside the car! He's gonna choke! Doctor!" she cried. _The Doctor rushed around and tried to sonic open the door, but to no avail._

**"**It won't open!" Donna cried. _He turned and looked at the street; every car was spitting the poisonous fumes into the atmosphere._

**"**It's the whole world..." he said flabbergasted. _He rushed back to the car's engine; Wilf is dying from the fumes that filled the car. The Doctor ran between the engine and the door, trying to stop the gas and free Wilf at the same time._

"Get me out of here!" Wilf Coughed.

**"**He's gonna choke! Doctor!" Donna shouted at him.

**"**It won't open!" he shouted back. Their eyes locked for a brief moment. Donna got the message he was trying to send her. Her bottom lip quivered. _Sylvia rushed to the car with an axe and smashed the window screen. They both looked at her and astonished._

**"**Well, don't just stand there! Get him out!" she ordered them. The Doctor and Donna dragged Wilf out of the car.

"Thanks!" Wilf said coughing.

**"**I can't believe you've got an axe!" Donna exclaimed to her mum.

**"**Burglars!" Sylvia shrugged.

**"**Get inside the house. Just try and close off the doors and windows." The Doctor ordered them. The soldier from earlier, pulled up in a black cab.

**"**Doctor! This is all I could find that hasn't got ATMOS." He cried. _The Doctor ran to the cab, shouting back to Donna who was still with Wilf and Sylvia._

**"**Donna, you coming?"

**"**Yeah!" she shouted.

**"**Donna! Don't go! Look what happens every time that Doctor appears! Stay with us, please." She whispered to her daughter.

**"**You go my darling!" Wilf encouraged.

**"**Dad!" she hollered.

**"**Don't listen to her! You go with the Doctor! That's my girl!" he yelled after her as Donna got into the cab. She waved goodbye carrying a feeling of guilt.

**"**Bye!" Wilf called smiling and waving after them.

****

**"**The air is disgusting!" Donna choked.

**"**It's not so bad for me, go on, get inside the TARDIS. Oh, never given you a key!" he said reaching into his jacket pockets, pulling out a brass key. He smiled and handed it Donna whop continued to gag. "Keep that! Go on, that's yours! Quite a big moment really!" he grinned. This was special to him he couldn't remember if he had given any other companions keys.

**"**Yeah, maybe we can get sentimental after the world's finished choking to death!" Donna gratefully accepted the key.

**"**Good idea!" he agreed. He began to run off.

**"**Where are you going?" she called after him.

"To stop a war!" he said before leaving her. Donna ran to the TARDIS and used her new key to access it. Once in the TARDIS she felt it shake violently. She got thrown about, until the shaking finally subsided. Curious she went to the Door and opened it a smidgen.

She peered through the crack to see numerous Sontarans walking about. She closed the immediately and rested her back against the wooden doors. She slowly slid down them while looking up to the ceiling.

After ten minutes of sulking she got up headed to her room. She sat on her bed and cried for awhile blaming the Doctor, the Sontarans, but mostly herself.

*****

_  
_Donna was walking around the console but stopped as she saw a transmission of the Doctor.

**"**Doctor, I'm here, can you hear me?" she called into the screen. She watched aimlessly as the Doctor and the Sontaran leader argued back and forth. She heard the Sontarans start to chant something and then the Doctor faded.

"No come back." She cried grabbing the screen. The Doctor blurred back into view. Donna noticed that the Doctor seemed to be looking at her through the screen

**"**_Well. As prizes go, that's... __noble__.__As they say in Latin, __Donna__ nobis pacem." He said._

"That's me. I'm here!" she said, realizing he was talking to her.

**"**_Did you never wonder about its design? It's phone box. It contains a phone. A telephonic device for communication. Sort of symbolic. Like if only we could communicate. You and I."_ he said using his index finger to point to himself and seemingly to Donna.

**"**Oh my god." She whispered she scrambled to find Martha's mobile. Once in hand she faced the screen again. The Doctors gaze seemed to be on someone else most likely the Sontaran leader.

**"**But who do I phone?" she asked her voice echoing through the  
TARDIS. "Doctor, what number are you on?" Just as Donna looked down at the phone the transmission ended.

**"**You haven't even got a number!" she called slumping sown into a chair starring at the phone. "But what do I do?" she whispered. She decided to call home.

**"**Mum? You all right?" she asked through the phone.

**"**Donna! Where are you sweetheart?" her mother asked frantic. She could hear her granddad asking her mum something. "Oh, just finish the job. Your granddad's sealing us in. He's sealing the windows. Our own house, and we're sealed in! All those things they said about pollution and ozone and carbon, they're really happening aren't they?"

**"**There's people working on it, Mum. They're gonna fix it, I promise." Donna reassured her.

**"**Oh, like you'd know, you're so clever?" she spat.

**"**Oh don't start. Please, don't."

**"**I'm sorry. I wish you were here." She apologized to her daughter.

**"**Donna? Where are you?" she heard her granddads voice take over the line.

**"**It's sort of hard to say. You all right?"

**"**Yeah, fighting fit, yeah. Is he with you, the Doctor?"

**"**No. I'm all on my own."

**"**Look, you promised he was gonna look after you."

**"**He will, Gramps. There's... something he needs me to do. I just don't know what."

**"**Well, I mean, the whole place is covered, the whole of London they're saying and the whole, the whole world. It's the scale of it, Donna. I mean, how can one man stop all that?"

**"**Trust me. He can do it."

**"**Yeah, well if he doesn't, you tell him he'll have to answer to me."

**"**I will. Just as soon as I see him, I'll tell him."

**"**Huh." Donna dropped the phone into her lap ending the call. She looked up and started to cry again she couldn't remember a time where she had cried this much. It seems she's been crying an awfully lot with the Doctor.

Donna looked down into her lap as the phone started to vibrate. "Hello?"

"Donna it's me, you okay?" The Doctor asked.

"What's happened, where are you?"

**"**Still on Earth. But don't worry; I've got my secret weapon."

**"**What's that?"

**"**You." Donna froze; he couldn't be serious, could he?

**"**Oh. Somehow that's not making me happy. Can't you just zap us down to Earth with that remote thing?"

**"**Yeah, I haven't got a remote, though I really should. But I need you on that ship. That's why I made them move the TARDIS. I'm sorry, but you've got to go outside."

**"**But there's Sonterruns out there."

**"**Sontarans, but they'll all be on battle stations right now. They don't walk around having coffee. I can talk you through it."

**"**But what if they find me?" Donna said her voice shaking with fear. The Doctor felt guilt rush through his veins.

**"**I know, and I wouldn't ask, but there's nothing else I can do. The whole planet is choking, Donna."

**"**What d'you need me to do?" she said as she started to walk to the TARDIS doors.

**"**The Sontarans are inside the factory which means they've got a teleport link with the ship, but they'll have deadlocked it. I need you to reopen the link."

**"**But, I can't even mend a fuse."

**"**Donna! Stop talking about yourself like that. You can do this. I promise." He reassured her. He believed in her with all of his heart. _Donna opened the TARDIS doors to see a Sontaran only few feet away with his back turned to the TARDIS. She closed the door silently._

**"**There's a Sonterrun... Sontaran."

**"**Did he see you?" he asked frantic. He couldn't bare the pain of losing her.

**"**No, he's got his back to me." He breathed a sigh of relief.

**"**Right, Donna, listen, on the back of his neck on his collar there's a sort of plug, like a hole. The Probic Vent. One blow to the Probic Vent knocks 'em out."

**"**But he's gonna kill me."

"I'm sorry. I swear I'm so sorry. But you've got to try." _She picked up the mallet that the Doctor uses, so happily when piloting the TARDIS. She tiptoed behind the Sontaran and hit his Probic vent, knocking him out. _

**"**Back of the neck!" she said triumphantly.

**"I love you. **Now then you gotta find the external junction feed to the teleport."

**"**What... what's it look like?" she said looking around.

**"**A circular panel on the wall. Big symbol on the front, like a, like a letter T with a horizontal line through it. Or, or two Fs back to back."

**"**Well, there's a door."

**"**Should be a switch by the side." Donna walked up to the door.

**"**Yeah there is. But it's Sontaran-shaped, you need three fingers."

**"**You've got three fingers."

**"**Oh, yeah!" _She placed her hand into the pattern and the door slid open._ "I am through."

**"**Oh, you are brilliant, you are." He said kissing the phone.

**"**Shut up. Right. T with a line through it."

_"_Got to go. Keep the line open!" Donna stood there she head what sounded like marching. Sontarans started to march towards her. She pressed herself to the corner sliding down, closing her eyes, and praying for the Doctor.

"Donna, hold on. I'm coming." He said into the receiver, hearing the marching and chanting of the Sontaran army.

_****_

_Donna got up after the army left. She walked around and found the thing the Doctor wanted her to find. She placed the phone to her ear._

_"Doctor?"_

**"**Oh, blimey I'm busy. Got it?"

**"**Yes. Now hurry up!"

**"**Take off the covering. All the blue switches inside, flick them up like a fuse box. And that should get the teleport working." Donna heard the Doctor place the phone down. She heard conversations between the Doctor and two others.

**"**Doctor." She said into the mobile after a minute. "Blue switches done._" __She turned her attention to a door that slid open showing two Sontarans. "_But they've found me!"

**"**Now!" _Donna, who was standing inside the pod on the Sontaran ship, disappeared and reappeared in the clone lab. She runs to hug the Doctor._He wraps his arms around her never wanting to let go.

**"**Have I ever told you how much I hate you?" she said.

**"**Hold on, hold on. Get off me, get off me! Gotta bring the TARDIS down." He pushed her aside though he didn't want to. He flashed her, an apologetic gaze. _He sonics the teleport._

**"**Right, now. Martha, you coming?" he said turning and sprint off.

**"**What about this nuclear launch thing?" Martha asked as he slowed to a walking pace.

**"**Just keep pressing N, we want to keep those missiles on the ground." _Donna caught sight of the dead clone._

**"**But there's... two of them." She stuttered.

**"**Yeah, long story." _all three got inside of the teleport pod._ "Here we go. The old team, back together! Well, the new team."

**"**We're not going back on that ship!" Donna said fear rising in her head.

**"**No, no, no. No. I needed to get the teleport working so that we could get to..."

_****_

**"**...here! The Rattigan Academy, owned by..." _Luke pointed a gun at them._

**"**Don't tell anyone what I did! It wasn't my fault, the Sontarans lied to me, they..." The Doctor walked up to him, grabbing the gun and throwing it to the side.

**"**If I see one more gun..."

**"**You know, that coat, sort of works." Donna said walking next to Martha past Luke.

**"**Feel like a kid in my dad's clothes." She remarked.

**"**Oh, well if you're calling him dad you're definitely getting over him."

**"**That's why the Sontarans had to stop the missiles, they were holding back. Because, caesofine gas is volatile, that's why they had to use you to stop the nuclear attack. Ground-to-air engagement could've sparked off the whole thing."

**"**What like set fire to the atmosphere?" Martha asked.

**"**Yeah. They need all the gas intact to breed their clone army. And all the time we had Luke here in his dream factory. Planning a little trip, were we?"

**"**They promised me a new world." Luke said still dumbfounded.

**"**You were building equipment, ready to terraform El Mondo Luko so that humans could live there and breathe the air with this! An atmospheric converter." The Doctor explained. _The Doctor ran outside with the atmospheric converter._

**"**That's London. You can't even see it. My family's in there." Donna said catching up with the Doctor.

**"**If I can get this on the right setting..." the Doctor said.

**"**Doctor, hold on, you said the atmosphere would ignite." Martha said standing next to Donna.

**"**Yeah, I did, didn't I?" _The Doctor pressed a button and a flame shot up into the sky and the sky ignites. Donna noticed that the Doctor crossed his fingers._

**"**Please, please, please, please, please, please, please..." the Doctor repeated.

"He's a genius!" Luke mumbled

**"J**ust brilliant." Martha agreed looking up at the clear sky.

**"**Now we're in trouble!" The Doctor said as _he picked up the converter and ran back into the building. The Doctor gets inside the teleport pod with the atmospheric converter._

**"**Right, so... Donna, thank you. For everything. Martha, you too. Oh... so many times. Luke, do something clever with your life."

**"**You're saying goodbye." Donna asked getting teary eyed.

**"**Sontarans are never defeated. They'll be getting ready for war. And, well, you know, I've recalibrated this for Sontaran air, so..." he said shrugging his shoulders.

**"**You're gonna ignite them." Martha said getting the big picture.

**"**You'll kill yourself." She said walking forward trying to stop him.

**"**Just send that thing up, on its own. I don't know... put it on a delay."

**"**I can't."

**"**Why not?" Donna asked taking a few more steps.

**"**I've got to give them a choice." He said looking at her once again Martha noticed something in his gaze. Something she had never seen before. _He teleported out. Donna and Martha looked at the empty pod in despair. _

_They sat there not wanting move. They didn't even notice that Luke was fumbling with the pod. Before Martha and Donna knew it Luke was replaced with the Doctor. The Doctor sat at the edge of the pod as Martha went over and hugged his right arm. _

_Donna stood there she smiled and walked over to him. She soon got angry and slapped him! But her anger was replaced with gratitude. She crouched down and held his arm. He smiled at her and Martha finale realized what that look was. _

_****_

**"**The streets are half-empty. People still aren't driving. There are kids on bikes all over the place, it's wonderful. Unpack that lot, I'm gonna see if Suzette's all right." Sylvia said placing the groceries down on the counter walking into another room.

**"**I won't tell her. Best not. Just keep it as our little secret, eh?" Wilf said leaning closer to Donna.

**"**Yeah."

**"**And you go with him, that wonderful Doctor. You go and see the stars. And then bring a bit of 'em back, for your old Gramps." He said smiling._ She nodded, then got up to hug him, she bent over and kissed his head._

**"**Love you." _She walked out, fighting back her tears._

****  
_Donna entered the TARDIS._

**"**How were they?" Martha asked leaning against the console.

**"**Oh, same old stuff." _she wiped off a tear and tried her best to sound casual,_ "They're fine. So! You gonna come with us? We're not exactly short of space."

**"**Oh, I have missed all this, but, you know. I'm good here. Back at home. And I'm better for having been away. Besides, someone needs me. Never mind the universe, I've got a great big world of my own now!" she showed her the ring.

_She walked towards the door, but suddenly it shuts and the TARDIS shook wildly. They all cling to different objects to hold their balance. Donna noticed that under the console, the hand in the jar started to bubble wildly._

**"**What? What!?" the Doctor said.

**"**Doctor, don't you dare!" Martha hollered at him.

**"**No, no, no! I didn't touch anything! We're in flight, it's not me!" he yelled back.

**"**Where are we going?" Donna asked.

**"**I don't know, it's out of control!" the TARDIS violently threw them, Donna landed on top of the Doctor. They looked into each others eyes.

**"**Doctor, just listen to me! You take me home, take me home right now!" Martha said lifting herself up.

**A-Note~ Sorry it took like forever, but I was really busy and I could NOT find the script…..May I remind you that it is NOT Supposed to be like the actual episode….this one is told form Donna's point of view mostly…**


	7. The Doctor's Daughter

_In the TARDIS, the Doctor, Martha, and Donna are clinging, furiously to the console as the TARDIS flies violently through the vortex. They are shaken to every possible side while the Doctor tried to regain some control. Sparks fly, while Donna and Martha are screaming. The Doctor looked concerned. _

**"**What the hell's it doing?" Donna cried as she flew across the TARDIS hitting her head against the wall. The Doctor stumbled over to her and placed his arm around her.

**"**Controls aren't working!" He looks around to _see his hand in the jar, bubbling wildly._ "I don't know where we're going but my old hand's very excited about it!"

**"**I thought that was just some freaky alien thing! You telling me it's yours?" Donna groaned.

**"**Well..."

**"**It got cut off. He grew a new one!" Martha said as she got thrown to the opposite side.

**"**You are completely... impossible!" she said shaking her head, before her and the Doctor got forcefully separated.

**"**Not impossible, just... a bit unlikely!" he mumbled trying to stand up.

_The TARDIS made one last rebellious explosion, sparks flew everywhere. The Doctor, Donna, and Martha fell backwards, the Doctor landed in the chair next to the console. The TARDIS had landed. The Doctor looked at his two companions, before suddenly running towards the door and outside. He exited the TARDIS and looked around curiously. They seemed to be in some underground tunnel, littered with junk and old equipment. Donna walked out next to him fallowed by Martha._

**"**Why would the TARDIS bring us here?" The Doctor asked, his voice ranging in pitch.

**"**Oh, I love this bit." Martha joked sarcastically.

**"**Thought you wanted to go home." Donna asked looking over at her.

**"**I know, but all the same. It's that feeling you get..."

**"**Like you swallowed a hamster?"

_At that moment, the Doctor heard a loud noise. They looked over to the source of the commotion. Soldiers were running towards them. _

**"**Don't move, stay where you are! Drop your weapons."

_The soldiers pointed their guns at the Doctor, Martha, and Donna, who show that they are unarmed. _

We're not armed! Look, no weapons. Never any weapons. We're safe."

**"**Look at their hands. They're clean." A solider said taking a hold of one of Donna's hands to examine it.

**"**Alright, process them! Him first." An other solider said pointing his gun towards Donna.

_Two soldiers moved towards the Doctor. They grabbed him and dragged him towards a strange machine. _

**"**Oi, Oi! What's wrong with clean hands?!" The Doctor asked,

**"**What's going on?" Martha asked looking around.

**"**Leave him alone!" Donna said running a few steps before slowing down.

_The Doctor's hand was forced into the machine. The Doctor let out a small yell of pain._

**"**Something tells me this isn't about to check my blood pressure AAGGGH!"

**"**What're you doing to him?" Donna asked frantic walking up to his side, placing a hand on his back.

**"**Everyone gets processed." The solider said.

**"**It's taken a tissue sample. Ow ow ow ow ow ow! And extrapolated it! Some kind of accelerator?"

_The Machine released the Doctors hand. Donna grabbed his wrist to examine it as Martha ran to him. _

**"**Are you alright?" Martha asked when she finale reached him. _The Doctor and Donna just keep their eyes on the other machine as it opens._

**"**What on earth? That's just..." the Doctor mumbled as a_ woman stepped out from the machine, smoke billowing everywhere. The Doctor looked on curiously as the woman looked around, also curious._

**"**Arm yourself!" the solider said tossing the mysterious woman a gun. She holds it as if she was an expert.

**"**Where did she come from?" Martha said looking at the Doctor her face squinting up.

**"From me." He said his eyes still trained on the woman.**

**"**From you?! How? Who is she?" Donna asked.

**"**Well... she's... well... she's my daughter!" the Doctor's daughter smiles at them.

**"**Hello dad!" _the Doctor's daughter joined the soldiers while the Doctor stayed in the background with Donna and Martha._

**"**You primed to take orders, ready to fight?" the solider asked.

**"**Instant mental download of all strategic and military protocols, sir. Generation 5000 soldier primed and in peak physical health. Oh, I'm ready." She answered.

**"**Did you say, daughter?" Donna said looking at him.

**"**Mm. Technically." He nodded his head. Martha turned to face him.

**"**Technically how?" she asked.

**"**Progenation. Reproduction from a single organism. Means one parent is biological mother and father. You take a sample of diploid cells, split them into haploids, then recombine them in a different arrangement, and grow. Very quickly, apparently." He explained.

**"**Something's coming!" the Doctor's daughter exclaimed. Things run down a long tunnel towards them. The soldiers get ready to attack.

**"**It's the Hath!" the soldier shouted, a hand half-circling his mouth. Gun shots start to echo the underground tunnels.

**"**Get down!" the Doctor's daughter hollered.

We have to blow the tunnel! Get the detonator!" the solider ordered the Doctor

**"**I'm not detonating anything!" he replied. _A Hath grabbed Martha and pulled her away, while the Doctor's daughter kicks the other Hath and picked up the detonator. _

**"**Blow that thing, blow the thing!" a solider ordered.

**"**Martha! No! Don't!" he pleaded.

_Jenny pressed the button, and everyone ran for cover before the tunnel exploded. The Doctor went back to see the tunnel sealed. __Martha is stuck on the other side, or possibly dead. __He thought._

**"**You've sealed off the tunnel. Why did you do that?!" he asked angry.

**"**They were trying to kill us!" his daughter argued back.

**"**But they've got my friend!" he spat. He looked to see Donna laying face down in the dirt. "Donna." He whispered before leaving to help her. He crouched down and helped her up. "You okay?" he asked. She simply nodded, and stood up leaning on the Doctor for support.

**"**Collateral damage. At least you've still got her, he lost both his men, and I'd say you came out ahead." She said in a stuck up voice.

**"**Her name's Martha, and she's not collateral damage, not for anyone! Have you got that, GI Jane?!" Donna spat at her. Doctor couldn't help but smile.

**"**I'm gonna find her." He said after a minute. He and Donna started to try to find another way out.

**"**You're going nowhere. You don't make sense, you two. No guns, no marks, no fight in you… I'm taking you to General Cobb. Now, move." A solider said pointing a gun at them. He accidentally jabbed it into Donnas back causing her to yelp. The Doctor turned around and warned the solider never to touch her again.

**"**I'm Donna, what's you name?"

**"**Don't know, it's not been assigned." The Doctors daughter said, shrugging her shoulders.

**"**Well, if you don't know that, what do you know?"

**"**How to fight." She answered.

**"**Nothing else?"

**"**The machine must embed military history and tactics but no name. She's a generated anomaly." The Doctor butted in.

**"**Generated anomaly? Jenny-rated. Well what about that? Jenny!" Donna said smiling.

**"**Jenny. Yeah, I like that, Jenny." Jenny said smiling.

**"**What do you think, 'Dad'?" Donna jeered.

**"**Good as anything, I suppose." He shrugged not trying to care.

**"**Not what you'd call a natural parent, are you?" Donna said her smile fading. The Doctor couldn't help, but hear a hint of disappointment in her voice.

**"**They stole a tissue sample at gunpoint and processed it; it's not what I call natural parentage." He said looking at her.

**"**Rubbish! My friend Nerys fathered twins with a turkey baster, don't bother her." She said waving her finger in his face.

**"**You can't extrapolate a relationship from a biological accident." The Doctor said aggravated. Why couldn't see just drop it.

**"**Err, Child Support Agency can.' She said placing her index finger on her jaw line.

**"**Look, just cos I share certain physiological traits with simian primates doesn't make me a monkey's uncle, does it? Okay, just drop it." He told her. Jenny caught up with them.

**"**I'm not a monkey! Or a child." She informed him. They finale reached a huge underground room filled with many soldiers.

**"**o, where are we? What planet's this?" the Doctor asked sticking his hands in his pant pockets.

**"M**essaline. Well, what's left of it." The soldier said looking around.

**"**But, this is a theatre!" Donna pointed out.

**"**Maybe they're doing Miss Saigon." The Doctor said rolling his eyes.

**"**It's like a town, or a city, underground. But why?" she questioned. An older soldier walked towards the Doctor and Donna.

**"**General Cobb, I presume?" he said.

**"**Found in the Western tunnels, I'm told, with no marks. There was an outbreak of pacifism in the Eastern Zone, three generations back, before we lost contact, is that where you came from?" General Cobb asked.

**"**Eastern Zone, that's us, yeah. Yeah. I'm The Doctor, this is Donna." He said pointing to her.

**"**And I'm Jenny." She said chipper.

**"**Don't think you can infect us with your peacemaking. We're committed to the fight, to the very end." General Cobb said looking the Doctor in the eyes.

**"**Well, that's all right, I can't stay anyway. I've gotta go and find my friend." The Doctor said, turning away.

**"**That's not possible, all movement is regulated. We're at war." General Cobb said. The Doctor turned around to face him, again.

**"**Yes, I noticed. With the Hath. But tell me, cos we got a bit out of circulation, Eastern Zone and all that, so, who exactly are the Hath?"

**"**Back at the dawn of this planet, these ancient halls were carved from the earth. Our ancestors dreamt of a new beginning, a colony where human and Hath could work and live together."

"So what happened?"

**"**The dream died. Broken, along with Hath promises. They wanted it all for themselves. But those early pioneers, they fought back. They used the machines to produce soldiers instead of colonists, and began this battle for survival."

**"**There's nothing but earth outside, why's that? Why build everything underground?" Donna asked.

**"**The surface is too dangerous." Cline said.

**"**Well, then why build windows in the first place? And what does this mean?" she said mockingly before she noticed numbers stamped to the wall. She pointed to them as the others looked her way.

_"_The rites and symbols of our ancestors. The meanings... lost in time."

**"**How long's this war gone on for?" the Doctor asked.

Longer than anyone can remember. Countless generations marked only by the dead." General Cobb said.

**"**What, fighting all this time?" Donna asked sympathy evident in her voice.

**"**Because we must. Every child of the machine is born with this knowledge. It's our inheritance, it's all we know. How to fight. And how to die." Jenny added.

**"**Does this show the entire city, including the Hath zones?" the Doctor said pointing to a map.

**"**Yes. Why?"

**"**Well it'll help us find Martha."

**"**We've more important things to do. The Progenation Machines are powered down for the night shift, but soon as they're active, we could breed a whole platoon from you two."

**"**I'm not having sons and daughters by some great big flippin' machine!" She looked towards Jenny, "Sorry, no offence but you're not... well I mean you're not real."

You're no better than him! I have a body, I have a mind, I have independent thought, how am I not real? What makes you better than me?" Jenny protested.

**"**Well said, soldier. We need more like you if ever we're to find the Source." General Cobb praised.

**"**Ooh, the Source, what's that then, what's a Source? I like a Source, what is it?" The Doctor grinned.

**"**The Breath of Life." replied General Cobb.

"And that would be...?"

**"**In the beginning the great one breathed life into the universe. And then she looked at what she'd done, and she sighed." Cline explained.

**"**She? I like that." Jenny smiled looking over at Donna.

**"**Right, so it's a creation myth." The Doctor said trying to get back on track.

**"**It's not myth. It's real. That sigh. From the beginning of time it was caught and kept as the Source. It was lost when the war started. But it's here, somewhere. Whoever holds the Source controls the destiny of the planet." General Cobb protested.

**"**Ah! I thought so! There's a suppressed layer of information in this map, if I can just…" _He sonics the map and more tunnels appear on it. They all take a step back in surprise._

**"**What is it, what's it mean?" Donna asked waling up to the Doctor.

**"**See? A whole complex of tunnels, hidden from sight." The Doctor showed her, using his hand.

"That must be the lost temple. The source will be inside. You've shown us the way! And look, we're closer than the Hath! It's ours!" General Cobb shouted in glee. "Tell them to prepare to move out. We'll progenate new soldiers on the morning shift, and then we march. Once we reach the Temple, peace will be restored at long last."

**"**Um, call me old-fashioned, but if you really wanted peace couldn't you just stop fighting?" Doctor said using his own sense of smartness.

**"**Only when we have the Source. It'll give us the power to erase every stinking Hath from the face of this planet!"

**"**Hang on, hang on, a second ago it was peace in our time, now you're talking about genocide!?"

**"**For us, that means the same thing."

**"**Then you need to get yourself a better dictionary. When you do, look up genocide. You'll see a little picture of me there and the caption will read 'Over my dead body'!" the Doctor protested.

**"**And you're the one who showed us the path to victory. But you can consider the irony from your prison cell. Cline, at arms!" _Cline pointed his gun at the Doctor and Donna. The Doctor stepped in front of Donna protectively._

**"**Oi, Oi, Oi! All right! Cool the beans Rambo!" Donna said grabbing the Doctor coat.

**"**Take them, I won't have them spreading treason. And if you try anything, Doctor, I'll see that your woman dies first." General Cobb instructed.

**"**No, we're, we're not a couple." The Doctor said I a low voice. To be honest he found it rather funny that everywhere they went they were made out as a couple.

**"**I am not his woman!" she said stepping out from behind him, her finger point to her chest.

**"**Come on. This way." Cline said grabbing Donna and shoving her forward. Doctor glared at him.

**"**I'm going to stop you, Cobb, you need to know that." He said.

**"**I have an army and the breath of god on my side, Doctor, what'll you have?"

**"**This." He said pointing to his head. General Cobb laughed.

_"_Lock them up, and guard them."

**"**What about the new soldier?" Cline asked. _Jenny stepped forward, but Cobb pushed her away, into the Doctor's arms._

**"**Can't trust her, she's from pacifist stock. Take them all!"

****

_The Doctor, Donna, and Jenny entered their cell. Donna was the only one who noticed that there were numbers there too._

**"**More numbers. They've gotta mean something." She told the Doctor.

**"**Makes as much sense as the breath of life story." He mumbled.

**"**You mean that's not true?" Jenny asked.

**"**No, it's a myth. Isn't it, Doctor?" Donna looked from Jenny to the Doctor.

**"**Yes, but there could still be something real in that temple, something that's become a myth. A piece of technology, a weapon." He answered.

**"**So the Source could be a weapon and we've just given directions to Captain Nut job? " Donna said pointing over her shoulder.

**"**Oh, yes." He said rubbing the back of his neck.

**"**Not good, is it?" she said shaking her head.

**"**That's why we need to get out of here, find Martha and stop Cobb from slaughtering the Hath." _He noticed that Jenny was giving him an inquisitive look._

**"**What, what are you, what are you…what are you staring at?" he stuttered.

**"**You keep insisting you're not a soldier. But look at you! Drawing up strategies like a proper general." Jenny smirked.

**"**No, no, I'm trying to stop the fighting." He protested.

**"**Isn't every soldier?" she said chuckling.

**"**Well. I suppose. But that's… that's… technically... I haven't got time for this! Donna, give me your phone! Time for an upgrade!" he told her. Donna handed him her phone. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and sonics it.

**"**And now you've got a weapon!" Jenny laughed.

**"**It's not a weapon." He said not even bothering to look at her.

**"**But you're using it to fight back!" _she laughs,_ "I'm gonna learn so much from you, you are such a soldier!"

**"**Donna, will you tell her?" He said clearly speechless.

**"**Oh, you are speechless, I'm loving this! You keep on, Jenny!" Donna grinned and giggled. The Doctor looked at her amused. He had never heard Donna giggle before; to be honest he liked the sound of it. He placed the phone to his ear, when he heard Martha's voice.

**"**Martha! You're alive!....I'm with Donna, we're fine, what about you?...."

**"**And, and Jenny, she's fine too!" Donna said to him nudging him with her elbow.

**"**Yes all right." _He said to Donna. "_And, and Jenny... That's the woman from the machine, the soldier, my daughter, except she isn't, she's, she's... Anyway! Where are you? Ohhh... That was me. If both armies are heading that way, there's going to be a bloodbath……Just stay where you are, if you're safe there then don't move, d'you hear?" they hung up to hear cheers coming from the hall across from their cell.

They're getting ready to move out. We have to get past that guard." The Doctor stated.

**"**I can deal with him." Jenny volunteered.

**"**No, no, no, no. You're not going anywhere."

**"**What?"

**"**You belong here, with them." He heard Donna scoff.

**"**She belongs with us. With you. She's your daughter!"

**"**She's a soldier. She came out of that machine! And if you're gonna force that responsibility on me, then you're her mother!"

Oh yes, I know that bit!" she refused to acknowledge the last bit, "Listen, have you got that stethoscope? Give it to me. Come on!" the Doctor handed her the Stethoscope. She walked towards Jenny.

**"**What're you doing?" Jenny asked.

**"**It's all right. Just hold still." She reassured her. _Donna placed the stethoscope to Jenny's chest, first on the left, then on the right. She looked over at the Doctor._ "Come here. Listen. And then tell me where she belongs." _She handed him the stethoscope and made him hear heartbeats on both sides. He steped back and stares at Jenny._

**"**Two hearts." He mumbled.

**"**Exactly."

**"**What's going on?" Jenny asked.

**"**Does that mean she's a...? What do you call a female Time Lord?" Donna asked.

**"**What's a Time Lord?"

**"**It's who I am. It's where I'm from." He explained.

**"**And I'm from you."

**"**You're an echo, that's all. A Time Lord is so much more. A sum of knowledge. A code. A shared history. A shared suffering. Only it's gone now. All of it. Gone forever."

**"**What happened?" she asked him.

**"**There was a war."

**"**Like this one?" _He laughed at the absurdity of the comparison._

**"**Bigger. Much bigger."

**"**And you fought? And killed?"

**"Yes." He answered darkly. Donna for a sheer second felt scared by his tone.**

**"**Then how are we different?"

****

_The Doctor and Donna hid out of sight. The stood next to each other, listening, and watching Jenny. When the Doctor saw Jenny bring Cline close for a kiss he couldn't help but imagine him and Donna kissing. He was quickly brought out of his fantasy by Donna grabbing his hand._

_"You okay?" he nodded. Donna gave his hand a squeeze. He turned to look at her. She was grinning._ "I'd like to see you try that!" she said. The Doctor looked at Jenny as she made Cline unlock the cell door.

_***_  
_They walked downstairs, but stopped when they noticed another guard. _

**"**That's the way out." The Doctor said. _Jenny cocked the gun, but the Doctor stopped her._ "Don't you dare!" _Donna stepped between the two. _

"Why don't we just use this. She pulled out a wind up mouse. The Doctor looked at her confused.

"Were did you get that?"

She winked at him. "That's for me to know and for you to never know."

_He set the wind-up mouse down to distract the guard. Jenny stepped behind the Guard when he was turned around. She hit him in the back of the head with the butt of the gun, knocking him out._

"I was gonna distract him, not clobber him!" the Doctor told her.

**"**Well, it worked, didn't it?" she wined.

**"**They must all have a copy of that new map. Just stay there, don't hurt anyone." **He looked at the map for awhile that he had taken from the guard. He walked back up to Donna and Jenny.** "Wait! This is it. The hidden tunnel. There must be a control panel." _He sonics the wall beside the locked door, while Donna noticed another number._

_They must mean something. __She thought to herself._ **"**It's another one of those numbers. They're everywhere."

**"**The original builders must've left them. Some old cataloguing system." He told her not really trying to understand them.

**"**You got a pen? Bit of paper? Cos, d'you sees, the numbers are counting down." The Doctor handed her a pen and a pad of paper and she starts to take some notes. "This one ends in 1-4; the prison cell said 1-6."

**"**Always thinking, both of you. Who are you people?" Jenny asked crossing her arms.

**"**I told you. I'm the Doctor."

**"**The Doctor? That's it?"

**"**That's all he ever says." Donna joked.

**"**So, you don't have a name either? Are you an anomaly too?"

**"**No." he said harshly. Donna rolled her eyes and slapped his back.

**"**Oh, come off it! You're the most anomalous bloke I've ever met!" she smiled. _The Doctor just shook his head and took off the cover of the control panel. _

**"**Here it is!" he said.

**"**And Time Lords, what are they for exactly?"

**"**'For'? They're not... They're not 'for' anything." He told her sort of hurt.

**"**So what do you do?"

**"**I travel. Through time and space."

**"**He saves planets, rescues civilizations, defeats terrible creatures. And runs a lot. Seriously, there's an outrageous amount of running involved." Donna explained. _The door slid open. _

**"**Got it!"

**"**Squad 5, with me!" they heard General Cobb say.

**"**Now, what were you saying about running?" he smiled at Donna and grabbed her hand, as he started to run. _but they stopped by red beams crossing the tunnel, blocking their way. _

**"**That's not mood lighting, is it?" she asked him. Their eyes met emitting sparks between them, making Donna blush slightly. _The Doctor threw the clockwork mouse into the lights. Donna jumped back as it bursts into sparks._

**"**No, I didn't think so." He said just before an alarm went off. **"**Arming device." _He started to fiddle with the controls while Donna noticed yet another set of numbers. _

**"**There's more of these. Always eight numbers, counting down, the closer we get..."

**"**Here we go!" he yelled.

**"**You better be quick!" she told him.

**"**The General!" Jenny called. _She turned to ran back, but the Doctor caught her. _

**"**Where are you going?"

**"**I can hold them up."

**"**No, we don't need any more dead."

**"**But it's them or us."

**"**It doesn't mean you have to kill them!"

**"**I'm trying to save your life!" she said pulling her arm away from him.

**"**Listen to me, the killing, after a while it infects you. And once it does you're never rid of it."

**"**We don't have a choice."

**"**We always have a choice."

**"**I'm sorry." _She ran off. _

**"**Jenny!" he called after her.

_Donna heard the shots, she turned her gaze to the Doctor, but he looked unaffected by it, as if he didn't care._

**"**I told you. Nothing but a soldier."

**"**She's trying to help."

**"**Jenny! Come on!" he hollered.

**"**I'm coming!"

_The Doctor managed to turn off the red beams._ "That's it! You're brilliant you are." She cheered. Overwhelmed with joy she cupped his face and kissed him. When she pulled away they were both speechless.

**"**Jenny! Leave it! Let's go!" _He and Donna ran through, the now safe corridor, hand in hand. General _

_Jenny appeared from around the corner. She looked down the safe corridor, to see the Doctor holding Donna's hand. She smiled to herself, shaking her head slightly._

**"**Jenny! Come on! That's it!"

**"**Hurry up!" Donna shouted._ Just when Jenny reached the corridor, the red beams appear again. _

**"**No, no, no, no! The circuit's looped back!"

**"**Zap it back again!" Donna said squeezing his hand, placing her other one on top of it.

**"**The controls are back there!" he told her.

**"**They're coming!" Jenny cried.

**"**Wait! J-Just...! There isn't...! Jenny, I can't!"

**"**I'll have to manage on my own. Watch and learn, Father and Mother!" _she raises her hands above her head and does a series of flips and summersaults._

**"**No way! But that was impossible!" Donna smiled.

**"**Not impossible. Just a bit unlikely!" he said grinning. _He hugged Jenny with a proud smile. _"Brilliant! You were brilliant! Brilliant! Just like your mum. Err, I mean just brilliant."

**"**I didn't kill him. General Cobb, I could have killed him, but I didn't. You were right. I had a choice." _The Doctor notices that the soldiers arrived at the other end of the corridor. He released Donna's hand told her and Jenny to go ahead, as he stayed there to talk to General Cobb. _

**"**At arms!" General Cobbs said.

**"**I warned you, Cobb. If the Source is a weapon, I'm gonna make sure you never use it."

**"**One of us is gonna die today and it won't be me." The General said, he smirked at the Doctor. "Then again it won't be you either. It might just be your woman." The Doctor gritted his teeth. The General opened fire on the Doctor. The Doctor left in hurry trying to catch up with Donna.

_How dare he threaten her! He had no right! _He thought as he saw Donna and Jenny just up ahead.

**"**So, you travel together, but you're not... 'Together'?" Jenny asked.

**"**What? No, no! No way! No, no. We're friends. That's all. I mean, we're not even the same species, there's probably a law against it." Donna said her voice sour and yet sweet. "And beside he loves someone else." She whispered so low that even Jenny didn't hear it. Jenny laughed.

"So why were you two holding hands then?" Jenny pressed raising her eyebrow. "Huh, mum?"

Donna blushed. "Oh we –uhh- always hold hands when we run. It's so we don't get separated."

"Right, and what's it like, the traveling?" she asked dropping the subject about them.

**"**Ah, never a dull moment. Can be terrifying, brilliant and funny - sometimes all at the same time. I've seen some amazing things though. Whole new worlds."

**"**Oh, I'd love to see new worlds."

**"**You will. Won't she, Doctor?" Donna said turning around to face the Doctor, sensing that he was there.

**"**Hm?"

**"**D'you think Jenny will see any new worlds?"

**"**I suppose so." He smiled a little. Jenny's face lit up.

**"**You mean... You mean you'll take me with you?"

**"**We can't leave you here, can we?"

**"**Oh, thank you, thank you, and thank you! Come on! Let's get a move on!" she hugged him and Donna before running ahead.

**"**Careful, there might be traps!"

**"**Kids! They never listen!" Donna joked. _She looked over to the Doctor to see that something was troubling him. She placed her hand on his arm._ **"**Oh, I know that look. See it a lot round our way. Blokes with pushchairs and frowns. You've got dad-shock. "

**"**Dad-shock?"

**"**Sudden, unexpected fatherhood. Take a bit of getting used to."

**"**No, it's not that.'

**"**Well, what is it then? Having Jenny in the TARDIS is that it? What's she gonna do, cramp your style? Like you've got a sports car and she's gonna turn it into a people-carrier?"

**"**Donna, I've been a father before."

**"**What?" she removed her hand.

**"**I lost all that a long time ago. Along with everything else."

**"**I'm sorry. I didn't know. Why didn't you tell me? You talk all the time, but you don't say anything." She pulled him into a hug.

I know. I'm just... When I look at her now I can see them. The hole they left, all the pain that filled it. I just don't know if I can face that every day." He mumbled into her hair. He took in the smell oh her shampoo.

**"**It won't stay like that. She'll help you. We both will." She pulled away and looked into his eyes. They shimmered in the dim light which made them stand out more than usual.

**"**But when they died, that part of me died with them. It'll never come back. Not now."

**"**I tell you something, Doctor, something I've never told you before. I think you're wrong." They stare at each other for a moment. The Doctor leans his forehead against hers. This was the most contact they've had since they've known each other. He placed a soft kiss on the peak of her nose.

Gun shots rand through the hall. Doctor pulled apart, his arm sliding down her arm to her hand. For some reason when he held her hand he felt invincible that he could do anything and protect her from anything. The words that the General said to him rang through his ears.

"_Then again it won't be you either. It might just be your woman."_

_Jenny ran up to them. "_They've blasted through the beams, time to run again. Love the running! Yeah?"

**"**Love the running." _They smiled at each other before they started to run again._ _The Doctor, Donna, and Jenny reached a dead end. _

**"**We're trapped." Donna said, the Doctor gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, which went un-noticed by Jenny.

**"**Can't be. This must be the temple."_ he touched a panel of the wall._ "This is a door."

**"**And again! We're down to 1-2 now..." Donna said she let go of the Doctor's hand and pulled out the pen and paper.

**"**I've got it!" he shouted.

**"**I can hear them!" Jenny said.

**"**Nearly done." He told her.

**"**These can't be a cataloguing system." Donna said to herself.

**"**They're getting closer!" Jenny yelled again her voice growing frantic.

**"**Then get back here!" he told her.

**"**They're too similar. Too familiar." Donna once again said to herself.

**"**Not yet." Jenny told him.

**"**Now! Got it!" he shouted at her, the_ door opened._ _The Doctor, Donna, and Jenny entered "Temple"._

**"**They're coming! Close the door!" Jenny informed him. _The Doctor pushed some keys and the door slammed closed._

**"**Oh, that was close!" Jenny said breathing a sigh of relief.

**"**No fun otherwise!"

**"**It's not what I'd call a temple..." Donna said walking around.

**"**It looks more like..." Jenny started, before the Doctor interrupted her.

**"**Fusion-drive transport. It's a spaceship!" he finished.

**"**What, the original one? The one the first colonists arrived in?" Donna asked.

"Well, it could be, but the power cells would have run down after all that time. This one's still powered-up and functioning. Come on!" he said. _The Doctor saw that someone was cutting through the other door._

**"**It's the Hath! That door's not gonna last much longer. And if General Cobb gets through down there, war's gonna break out." Jenny stated.

**"**Look, look, look, look, look! Ship's log!" the Doctor said pointing to a machine. "'First wave of Human/Hath co-colonization of planet Messaline'."

**"**So it is the original ship." Jenny said.

**"**What happened?" Donna asked.

"'Phase one. Construction.' They used robot drones to build the city." The Doctor said.

**"**But, does it mention the war?" Donna asked. The Doctor scrolled down.

**"**Final entry... "Mission commander dead. Still no agreement on who should assume leadership. Hath and humans have divided into factions." That must be it! A power vacuum. The crew divided into two factions and turned on each other. Start using the Progenation machines and suddenly you've got two armies fighting a never-ending war!"

**"**Two armies who are now both outside." Jenny pointed out.

**"**Look at that." _She said pointing to the screen. It displayed a set of numbers similar to the ones on e the walls._

**"**It's like the numbers in the tunnels." The Doctor said.

**"**No, no, no, no, but listen... I spent six months working as a temp in Hounslow Library, and I mastered the Dewey Decimal System in two days flat. I'm good with numbers! It's staring us in the face!" Donna explained.

**"**What is?" Jenny asked confused. They both looked at Donna.

**"**It's the date! Assuming the first two numbers are some big old space date, then you've got year, month, and day. It's the other way round, like it is in America!" she continued.

**"**Ohhh! It's the New Byzantine Calendar!" the Doctor said raising his hand to his forehead. Why didn't he think of that?

"The codes are completion dates for each section. They finish it, they stamp the date on! So the numbers aren't counting down, they're going out, from here, day by day, as the city got built." Donna said.

**"**Yes! Oh, good work, Donna!" he praised.

**"**Yeah! But you're, you're still not getting it. The first number I saw back there was 6012-07-17. Well, look at the date today!" she said.

**"**07-24. No!" he said grinning at Donna.

**"**What does it mean?" Jenny asked.

**"**Seven days." He said barely above his breath.

**"**That's it! Seven days!" Donna agreed.

**"**Just seven days?!" he was shocked. Jenny just stared at them.

**"**What d'you mean, seven days?" she asked.

**"**Seven days since war broke out." Doctor told her.

**"**This war started seven days ago! Just a week! A week!" Donna announced.

**"**They said years!" Jenny exclaimed.

**"**No. They said generations. And if they're all like you, and they're products of those machines..." Donna corrected her.

**"**They could have 20 generations in a day! Each generation gets killed in the war, passes on the legend! Ohhh! Donna, you're a genius!" He finished praising Donna once again!

**"**But all the buildings, the encampments, they're in ruins." Jenny said.

**"**No they're not ruined, they're just empty! Waiting to be populated! Oh, they've mythologized their entire history! The Source must be part of that too. Come on!" the Doctor said. _They started to run again. They turned around a corner and bumped into Martha. _

**"**Doctor!" she cried wrapping her arms around him.

**"**Martha! I should've known you wouldn't stay away from the excitement!" he said pulling apart.

**"**Donna!" Martha cried running over to her. They hug as well.

**"**Oooh, you're filthy, what happened?!" she asked pulling away, looking her up and down.

**"**I, erm, took the surface route." She explained. They started to hear the voices of the soldiers.

**"**That's the general! We haven't got much time." The Doctor said.

**"**We don't even know what we're looking for!" Donna shouted at him. The roar of cries from the soldiers and the Hath were getting too loud.

**"**Is it me, or can you smell flowers?" Martha stated.

**"**Yes! Bougainvillea! I say we follow our nose!" The Doctor said.

_The Doctor, Donna, Jenny, and Martha reached a place that looked like a huge greenhouse; inside the spaceship filled with palms and other exotic plants. _

**"**Oh, yes! Yes! Isn't this brilliant?" The Doctor exclaimed. His voice filled with glee. _In the middle there's a small place around a pedestal that held a glass sphere, containing shining gas. _

**"**Is that the Source?" Donna asked.

**"**It's beautiful." Jenny muttered.

**"**What is it?" Martha questioned.

**"**Terraforming! It's a third generation terraforming device!" the Doctor told her.

**"**So why are we suddenly in Kew Gardens?" Donna asked.

**"**Because that's what it does. All this, only bigger. Much bigger! It's in a transit state. Producing all this must help keep it stable before they finally..." _The Hath and the human soldiers appeared from the opposite sides, cocking their guns as soon as they caught sight of each other. _"Stop! Hold your fire!" he shouted.

**"**What is this? Some kind of trap?" General Cobb asked.

**"**You said you wanted this war over." The Doctor said. He raised both of his arms, one facing the Hath and the other facing the Soldiers.

**"**I want this war won." He told him.

**"**You can't win. No one can. You don't even know why you're here. Your whole history, it's just Chinese whispers. Getting more distorted the more it's passed on." He pointed to the sphere, "This is the Source. This is what you're fighting over. A device to rejuvenate a planet's ecosystem. It's nothing mystical. It's from a laboratory, not some creator. It's a bubble of gases. A cocktail of stuff for accelerated evolution. Methane, hydrogen, ammonia, amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids. It's used to make barren planets habitable. Look around you! It's not for killing, its bringing life. If you allow it, it can lift you out of these dark tunnels and into the bright, bright sunlight! No more fighting. No more killing."

_He lifted up the sphere. _"I'm the Doctor, and I declare this war is over!" _He threw it to the ground. The glass ball shattered and the gases escaped, shining in gold and green as it spread out in the air. Amazed by the sight, the humans and Hath both put the guns to the ground._

**"**What's happening?" Jenny asked the Doctor.

**"**The gases will escape and trigger the terraforming process." He explained.

**"**What does that mean?" Jenny asked.

**"**It means a new world." _Jenny laughed with delight, but then she looked at General Cobb, he was the only one who wasn't enchanted by what was happening. He lifted his gun to shoot Donna, but Jenny stepped in front of her pushing her into the Doctor._

**"**No!" she shouted. _The bullet hit her square in the chest. She started to fall, but the Doctor caught her in time. He slowly lowered her to the floor keeping her in his arms. The other soldiers took away the General's gun._

**"**Jenny? Jenny! Talk to me, Jenny!" _he said. Martha checked her pulse and the wound._

**"**Is she gonna be all right?" Donna asked her eyes were brimming with bitter tears. Guilt washed through her body. This was her fault. Jenny had saved her. The Doctor was going to hate her for this. _Martha looked at Donna and shook her head without a word. _

**"**A new world. It's beautiful." Jenny whispered.

**"**Jenny? Be strong, now. You need to hold on. D'you hear me? We've got things to do, you and me. Hey? Hey? We can go anywhere. Everywhere. You choose." The Doctor instructed her. He shook her shoulders slightly.

**"**That sounds good." Jenny said.

**"**You're mine and Donna's daughter and we've only just got started. You're gonna be great. You're gonna be more than great. You're gonna be amazing! You hear me? Jenny?" he said. _She closed her eyes and died. The Doctor kissed her forehead in despair, and then he tried to find one last straw to clutch to. _

Two hearts. Two hearts, she's like me. If we wait... If we just wait..." _He looked at Martha for support._

**"**There's no sign, Doctor. There is no regeneration. She's like you, but... maybe not enough." Martha simply said.

**"**No. Too much. That's the truth of it. She was too much like me." He whispered. _He gently put Jenny on the ground and kissed her one last time. He got up and walked to General Cobb and picked up his gun. He stood there, panting from anger and despair, pointing the gun at Cobb's head. Martha and Donna just stared in shock._

_The Doctor caught a quick glimpse of Donna's teary, frightened face in the shimmer of the gun. Was he causing those tears? Was he the one causing her to look so frightened? He lowed the gun and crouched down to Cobb. _

**"**I never would. Have you got that? I never would!" The Doctor spat in his face. _He stood up again and addressed both fighting parties. _

**"**When you start this new world. This world of Human and Hath... remember that! Make the foundation of this society. A man who never would!" he told them. _He threw away the gun and sat back next to Jenny's body, next to Donna._

***  
_Jenny was laid out in the theatre room. The Doctor, Donna, Martha, Cline, and a Hath are around her. Suddenly, a few beams of light come through the window. _

**"**It's happening. The terraforming." Martha said.

**"**Build a city, nice and safe underground. Strip away the top soil. And there it is. And what about Jenny?" she said looking down at her. She now understood what the Doctor meant by the emptiness.

**"**Let us give her a proper ceremony. I think it'd help us. Please." Cline pleaded. _The Doctor was too lost in dark thoughts to care, he just nods his approval._

***  
_The Doctor, Donna, and Martha are back in the TARDIS sitting in chairs. _

**"**Jenny was the reason for the TARDIS bringing us here. It just got here too soon, which then created Jenny in the first place. Paradox. An endless paradox." The Doctor said as he touched the consol. _Donna and Martha watched him with sympathy. _"Time to go home?" he looked up at Martha.

**"**Yeah. Home." She said sadly. _He started to pull controls, but without his usual enthusiasm._

***  
_Donna and Martha walked down the road of Martha's house. _

**"**You sure about this?" Donna asked her.

**"**Yeah, positive. I can't do this any more. You'll be the same one day." She told her.

**"**Not me. Never! How could I ever go back to normal life after seeing all this?" she smiled at her. _She looks back to the Doctor who was a few steps behind them. _

**"**I'm gonna travel with that man for ever." Martha just smiled, one day they would realize what she knew. They would realize how they felt for each other. _They hugged each other good-bye. _

**"**Good luck." She said, breaking their hug.

**"**And you." _Donna stopped while Martha and the Doctor walked a few steps ahead. _

**"**We're making a habit of this." The Doctor said.

**"**Yeah. And you'd think it'd get easier. All those things you've been ready to die for. I thought for a moment there you'd finally found something worth living for." Martha said, looking down.

**"**Oh... there's always something worth living for, Martha." He motioned towards Donna, who was blankly starring at the sky. "I think you know what I mean." Martha chuckled. _They hugged good-bye. _

**"**Bye, Doctor."

**"**Goodbye. Doctor Jones." They broke apart and smiled at one another. _He turns back and walks to the TARDIS with Donna hand in hand. _

_ANote: Okay here's the next chapter…Well this was the first chapter where I displayed the Doctors and Donnas feelings a little deeper. What do ya think?_


	8. The Truth

The Doctor marched into the kitchen, dragging his feet. He was in no mood for Donnas' comments or complains, this morning. He poured himself a cup of coffee, sitting down in his seat, not bothering to even look at Donnas' side.

He sat there for a good 10 minutes before he decided to look up. Donna wasn't there. He sighed, knowing why. Last night The Doctor was woken up by her screams. She was thrashing in her bed, blaming herself for Jenny's death.

He sat up, leaving his coffee there, and walked to Donna's bedroom chamber.

Upon entering her room a strong smell stung his nose. He wrinkled his nose and furrowed his brow, gazing upon her room.

"What are you doing?" he asked. Donna stopped what she was doing to face the Doctor. She smiled, bright as ever.

"'Mornin spaceman. How'd you sleep? Like the room?" she said, turning back around to continue what she was doing.

"Well, it's certainly different." He said looking around the empty room. The walls were painted dark purple, beside the spot Donna was finishing up, and had back spiral floral patterns leaning every which way. "Where did all your furniture go? Curiosity killing him.

"The closet." She turned, "Have you seen that thing? It's enormous! Could fit my whole house, twice!" she exclaimed. She stood up, holding her paint brush closely, her mind rattling ideas. "Well what'cha think?" she asked looking around herself.

"We-ell, I like-" he paused un-able to finish. "What was wrong with the original color?' he whined, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Oi, it was white! White! The worst of all painting colors! Besides I like it." He huffed.

"It was cream." He closed his eyes, Donna rolling hers.

"Well what ever color it was, I prefer this one." Donna bent down grabbing the paint can. The Doctor couldn't help, but notice her back side. He madly blushed, getting hotter. Donna stood up straight examining the can. "Midnight purple."

The Doctor looked at her, slightly smiling in disbelief. "Is that really what it's called?"

"Yea, got a problem with that?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "No, not at all." Donna could see his grin, even if he was a mile away. She to, found herself grinning. In what swift movement, her hand waved in front of his face, leaving behind a long, dark purple streak over the Doctors face.

She fell over in a fit of giggles, the Doctor struggle to keep from laughing as well. After the giggling fit, Donna stood up wiping a tear or two away. She smiled at him trying to catch her breath. She saw that the Doctor wasn't smiling with her.

"Donna, why are you laughing?"

"Because it's funny."

"Am I laughing?" he asked his face serious.

"Well, not ex-" the doctor cut her off.

"No, I'm not! This isn't funny Donna! What came over you!?" he screamed in her voice. Donna felt guilt build up in the pit of her stomach.

"I-I'm sorry, I was just joking, I didn't mean-" she couldn't finish because the Doctor spread a hand full of purple paint across her face. She started to cough and spitting, trying to get the taste of pain out of her mouth. She took her hands and wiped away the paint form her eyes. She saw the Doctor smiling; hold his hands up for her to see. They were covered in paint, and it was dripping onto her carpet. He wiggled his fingers as more paint fell smiling.

"DOCTOR!" she cried, as she tackled him to the floor. During their fall the paint can got kicked up splattering the paint over both of them. They landed on the floor with Donna lying on top of the Doctor laughing, her head resting on his chest. One of his hands lying on her back; he was laughing as well.

After a minute they realized how they were positioned. Donna blushed madly, as she climbed off of the Doctor sitting to the side of him. The doctor sat up supporting his weight on his left hand. He looked over at Donna to see a single drop of paint on her nose; he chuckled. She turned to look at him in confusion.

"What is it?" she asked. He smirked. He leaned in close and used his right hand to brush the pint away. She blushed again, turning her whole face red.

"Donna you okay?" she turned away.

"Uhh-yeah, fine never better." She held her right hand, in a ball, to her chest.

"Listen Donna we need to talk." He sighed. Donna turned around to face him. She sat on her knees, placing her fists on them.

"About?" she questioned.

It was his turn to blush. "You mustn't blame yourself, you know. It's not your fault." Donna felt the slightest of tears starting to sting her eyes.

"Liar." She whispered. The Doctor looked at her strangely. "No matter what you say, no matter what you tell me, I know it's my fault."

She grabbed her knees and squeezed them; she looked down at them, hiding her face with her hair. "She was try'n to protect me. If I hadn't been so stupid, if I never had disagreed with you about her, and if I never met you. You would still have her; you'd still have her with you right now. And I can't forgive myself for causing you pain or being the reason why your daughter is dead. I can't!"

The Doctor looked down at her fists and saw tear droplets. His hearts ached for her. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and never let go. "And I hate myself for it. I'm sorry Doctor I rally am." She looked up at him; he saw purple tears running down her face. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled himself closer.

"Don't say that. Don't you ever say that! Yes, Jenny's dead, because she was protecting you, but that doesn't mean it's your fault. Donna I am glade that you're dim sometimes, it makes things fun; and if you weren't against me, I would've even gotten to know her; and as for us never meeting, I'd be dead. Plain and simple. Donna don't you see? You're my anchor. If it was not for you, who knows how or where I might be.

Donna I love you!" he looked deep into her watery eyes before pulling her into a kiss.

Donnas' eyes remained frozen wide for a few moments before she closed them, kissing back. When they broke for air he leaned his forehead against hers.

"You know spaceman, you should take your own words of advice." He looked confused.

"What do ya mean?" he asked.

"What I mean is, I know that you blame yourself too." He went to protest, but saw that she was still hurting. He smiled.

"Okay." He said softly. Donna broke her forehead away from his and stood up.

"Oi, spaceman! Enough of this Sappy, gooey, mushy stuff okay. Lets take a shower and get cleaned off." She said.

The Doctor smirked. The way she said it made it seem dirty. He was brought out of thought when a hand stuck his head. "What was that for?" he called.

"Perv!" she said walking out of her room and into the bathroom. The Doctor brought a hand up to where he as struck. He flinched as soon as he made contact with it. He smiled softly to himself. It was true, he did love her.

A-Note~ hey ya'll what ya think??????? OMG I love this couple sooo much……I'm like addicted to it….don't believe me….I make mostly doctor Donna vids on mii YouTube's channels….Anyways leave me a comment or a message thanx 4 read'n…..

(Liese: I don't see what's so great about read'n anyways.

Lauren: Yea, reading's for losers.

Me: Hey, that's not nice, I work hard on these!

Lauren: Am I bovvered?

Me: well, err, I don't know.

The End)


	9. The Unicorn and the Wasp

The Doctor stood behind the bushes. Donna stood just to the side of him. He had a firm grasp on her hand. He stroked slow circles on the back of her hand. She smiled as she continued to listen to the conversation, just a few feet away.

**"**Never mind Planet Zog, a party in the 1920s, that's more like it!" Donna said standing up straight and turned to face him. He smiled at her.

**"**Problem is, we haven't been invited." Donna gave him look and the Doctor took out his psychic paper and waved in her face, grinning. _"_Oh I forgot, yes we have!" He and Donna turned around and ran to the TARDIS. Their hands never parting form the others.

The Doctor tapped on the TARDIS doors impatiently. He groaned. He had told Donna that she looked fine, but of course she HAD to change!

**"**We'll be late for cocktails!" he cried. He turned his head at the sound of the TARDIS doors opening.

Donna stepped out of the TARDIS wearing a 1920s style brown dress. The Doctor looked her up and down. His hand went up to loosen his tie. He was starting to get hot, and he was sure it wasn't from nature.

**"**What d'you think? Flapper or slapper?" she asked smiling at him.

The Doctor looked into her eyes enquiringly, but then he grinned as he spoke, linking arms with her.

**"**Flapper. You look lovely!" they walked off into the garden where people were starting to gather

**"**Look sharp, we have guests!" The Doctor heard a woman call, he guessed that she was in charge of the staff.

"Good afternoon!" The Doctor said waving at them. A waiter walked over to serve them.

**"**Drinks sir? Ma'am?" he asked.

**"**Sidecar, please." Donna said looking at the Doctor

**"**And a lime and soda, thank you." The Doctor said. He watched to see him walk away. Another servant introduced Lady Eddison. The Doctor almost immediately took his arm from Donna's. Donna gasped in surprise of this sudden movement.

Lady Eddison walked over to greet the Doctor and Donna.

**"**Lady Eddison." The Doctor greeted, shaking her hand. Lady Eddison looked at him questionably.

"Forgive me, but who exactly might you be... and what are you doing here?" She asked.

**"**I'm the Doctor. And this is Miss Donna Noble... of the, Chiswick Nobles."

**"**Good afternoon, my lady. Topping day, what? Spiffing! Top hole!" She said trying to put on a posh accent, not succeeding. The Doctor looked at her oddly

**"**No, no, no, no, no. Don't do that, don't." He said looking down at her. She frowned slightly, but he quickly gave her, a small smile to re-boost her confidence. He got out his psychic paper and presented it to Lady Eddison.

**"**We were thrilled to receive your invitation, my lady. We met at the Ambassador's reception."

**"**Doctor, how could I forget you? But one must be sure with the Unicorn on the loose."

**"**A unicorn? Brilliant! Where?" He asked grinning.

**"**_The_ Unicorn. The jewel thief. And nobody knows who he is. He's just struck again, snatched Lady Babbington's pearls right from under her nose."

**"**Funny place to wear pearls." Donna said, leaning into the Doctors ear. Greeves introduced two newcomers, and elderly man in wheelchair and a young man pushing him.

**"**May I announce, the Colonel Hugh Curbishley,the Honorable Roger Curbishley." Greeves said.

**"**My husband. And my son." Lad Eddison said.

Forgive me for not rising. Never been the same ever since that flu epidemic back in '18." The Colonel said coughing.

**"**My word, you are quite a looker." Roger said extending his hand. Donna smiled, blushing.

**"**Oh, thank you." Donna said shaking his hand. The Doctor watched as Roger lifted up Donna's hand, placing a kiss on her knuckles.

**"**Hello, I'm the Doctor." He said, nudging Donna out of the way. Donna smirked, standing behind the Doctor, her arms crossing above her chest smirking. She knew he was jealous, and she also knew that she wouldn't let him forget this.

**"**How do you do?" Roger asked, forcing a smile.

**"**Very well." The Doctor said turning to see Donna grinning. He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "You're going to hold this over my head, aren't you?"

"Mmm-hmmm." Donna nodded.

_"_Your usual, sir?" a waiter asked Roger.

**"**Ah, thank you Davenport. Just how I like it."

**"**How come she's an Eddison but her husband and son are Curbishleys?" Donna asked the Doctor.

"The Eddison title descends through her. One day Roger will be a lord." He said noticing a woman walking into the Garden.

**"**Robina Redmond!" Greeves introduced.

**"**She's the absolute hit of the social scene, a must." Lady Eddison walked up to Robina. _"_Miss Redmond!"

**"**Spiffing to meet you at last, my lady. What super fun!"

**"**Reverend Arnold Golightly." Greeves introduced, a man walked out from behind him.

**"**Ah, Reverend. How are you? I heard about the church last Thursday night. Those ruffians breaking in." Lady Eddison walked up to him shaking his hand.

**"**You apprehended them, I hear." The Colonel said.

**"**As the Christian Fathers taught me, we must forgive them their trespasses. Quite literally." He said looking through the group.

**"**Some of these young boys deserve a descent thrashing." Roger scoffed, taking a sip of his drink.

**"**Couldn't agree more, sir." Davenport said looking over at Roger, meaningful. Donna rolled her eyes and leaned towards the Doctor.

**"**Typical. All the decent men are on the other bus."

**"**Or Time Lords." He added sounding hurt. Donna frowned and playfully hit him in the arm. "Oi, that hurt." He said rubbing his sore arm.

"Yeah, just as much as us being a couple I bet." She sneered. The Doctor looked down at her apologetically. She nudged him and smiled. "Oi, don't go getting all sappy on me spaceman." He smiled turning his attention back to the table.

**"**Now, my lady, what about this special guest you promised us?" Roger said, breaking the awkward silence.

**"**Here she is, a lady who needs no introduction!" Lady Eddison said pointing to a lady entering the Party. Everyone turned their attention to her. She smiled as everyone started clapping.

_"_No, no, please. Don't. Thank you, Lady Eddison. Honestly, there's no need." She insisted. She held out her hand for the Doctor to shake. "Agatha Christie." She introduced.

**"**What about her?" Donna asked.

**"**That's me." Agatha said, looking at Donna oddly.

**"**Nooo." Donna exclaimed as Agatha laughed._ "_You're kidding."

**"**Agatha Christie! I was just talking about you the other day. I said, "I bet she's brilliant". I'm the Doctor and this is Donna. Ohhh, I love your stuff. What a mind! You fool me every time. Well, almost every time. Well, once or twice. Well, once. But it was a good once!" He explained shaking her hand at first, but them dropping it to place his hands into the pockets. He took out his glasses and placed them firmly on his face, looking stunning.

He went to place his hand back into his pocket, but Donna grabbed. He looked down at her.

**"**You make a rather unusual couple." Agatha said exchanging glances between them. The doctor wrenched his hand from Donna his other form his pocket. He waved them in front of his body.

**"**Oh, no, no, no, no, we're not married. Nor would we want to be." He said. He caught a slight glimpse of Donna's expression. He could feel a huge slap coming on.

_Why did he say that? I thought he loved me. Was he just toying with me? He wouldn't do that, would he? Does he really find me that un-important? Maybe I did something wrong. Donna couldn't help but think. The next few sentences just slipped from her mouth._

**"**We're not a couple. I mean he's just a thin piece of _Nothing!_" she said emphasizing the 'nothing'.

**"**Well obviously not. No wedding ring." Donna looked at her fingers and smiled.

_"_Oh, oh, you don't miss a trick." The Doctor smiled.

"I'd stay that way if I were you. The thrill is in the chase, never in the capture." Agatha whispered into Donna's ear. Lady Eddison made her way over to the trio.

_"_Mrs. Christie, I'm so glad you could come. I'm one of your greatest followers. I've read all six of your books. Is, ah, Mr. Christie not joining us?" Eddison asked, scanning the garden for Agatha's husband. Agatha looked at Lady Eddison and smiled so warmly at her.

"Is he needed? Can't a woman make her own way in the world?" she asked.

**"**Don't give my wife ideas." The Colonel laughed, fallowed by the other suitors.

**"**Now Mrs. Christie, I have a question. Why a Belgian detective?" Roger asked after his fit of giggles subsided. The Doctor walked over to the Colonel and snatched his newspaper.

**"'**Scuse me." The Doctor mumbled to him.

**"**Belgians make such lovely buns." Agatha joked. Everyone laughed.

**"**I say, where on earth is Professor Peach? He'd love to meet Mrs. Christie." Roger said laughing so hard, it was a miracle that anyone understood what he was saying.

**"**Said he was going to the library.' The Reverend said before taking a drink. The Doctor beckoned to Donna and she walked over. She heard a the conversation die down behind her, the closer she got to the Doctor.

**"**The date on this newspaper." He told her, showing the paper to her.

**"**What about it?"

**"**It's the day Agatha Christie disappeared. She'd just discovered her husband was having an affair."

**"**You'd never think to look at her. Smiling away."

**"**Well, she's British and moneyed. That's what they do. They carry on. Except for this one time. No one knows exactly what happened, she just vanished." The Doctor took a breath and started again. "Her car will be found tomorrow morning by the side of a lake. Ten days later, Agatha Christie turns up in a hotel in Harrogate. Said she'd lost her memory. She never spoke about the disappearance till the day she died, but whatever it was…"

**"**It's about to happen." Donna said more as a statement than a question.

**"**Right here, right now." They were brought out of their side conversation by screaming.

_"_Professor! The library! Murder! Murder!" the Maid cried, waving her hands in the air.

***  
The Doctor, Donna and Agatha entered the library. The Doctor ran to the body, he bent down and take his glasses out. Greeves arrives a few moments later.

**"**Oh my goodness." He gasped.

Bashed on the head. Blunt instrument. Watch broke as he fell," the Doctor explained. He looked at the watch around the professor's wrist. _"_Time of death was quarter past four." He got up and started searching the papers on the desk.

**"**Bit of pipe." she lifted up a pipe lying next to the body. "Call me Hercule Poirot, but I reckon that's blunt enough." Agatha Christie picked something out of the grate. The Doctor eyed her; Donna looked at him and felt stupid afterwards.

I Knew it. I drove him away. Her mind told her.

**"**Nothing worth killing for in that lot, dry as dust." The Doctor said tearing his gaze away from Agatha.

**"**Hold on. The body in the library? I mean, Professor Peach, in the library, with the lead piping?" Donna said letting the familiarity set in. The voices of the other members of the party drifted into the room. They gathered in the room, and looked down in horror and disgust, and they all talked simultaneously.

**"**Let me see." Lady Eddison shouted pushing herself into the room.

**"**Out of my way!" the Colonel barked.

"Gerald!" Lady Eddison cried out.

**"**Saints preserve us!" Prayed the Reverend.

**"**Oh how awful..." Robina mumbled, looking away.

**"**Someone should call the police." Agatha said moving towards the door.

**"**You don't have to." The Doctor flashed his physic paper around for everybody to see. _"_Chief Inspector Smith from Scotland Yard. Known as the Doctor. Miss Noble is the plucky young girl who helps me out."

**"**I say." Lady Eddison breathed.

**"**Go into the sitting room. I will question each of you in turn." The Doctor ordered.

**"**Come along, do as the Doctor says. Leave the room undisturbed." Agatha said, ushering everyone out; leaving just the Doctor and Donna behind.

"'The plucky young girl who helps me out'?" Donna asked. She was quite angered with the Doctor at the moment. The Doctor got down on the ground.

**"**No policewomen in 1926." He said examining the ground.

**"**I'll pluck you in a minute. Why don't we phone the real police?" she asked. She crossed her arms. Her eyes fell upon the Doctor. Why did he have this power upon her, this power to make her feel so, so vulnerable.

**"**Well the last thing we want is PC Plod sticking his nose in." He said standing up, looking at her. He noticed the expression she carried, was sad and hurt. His eyes softened. "Donna, you okay?"

She shook her head and forced a small fake smile, "Yeah. I'm fine." She reassured him. He looked at her skeptically, clearly not buying it.

"Right...as I was saying, especially now I've found this! Morphic residue."

**"**Morphic? Doesn't sound very 1926." Donna said.

**"**It's left behind when certain species genetically re-encode." He eyed her; she still seemed upset about something. He sighed heavily as she spoke.

**"**The murderer's an alien."

**"**Which means, one of that lot is an alien in human form."

**"**Yeah, but think about it. There's a murder, a mystery, and Agatha Christie."

**"**So? Happens to me all the time." He said seeing it as no big deal.

_"_No, but isn't that a bit weird? Agatha Christie didn't walk around surrounded by murders. Not really. I mean that's like meeting Charles Dickens, and he's surrounded by ghosts. At Christmas."

**"**Well..." he said placing the slim in a bag and slipping it into his jacket pocket.

**"**Oh, come on! It's not like we could drive across country and find Enid Blyton having tea with Noddy. Could we? Noddy's not real. Is he? Tell me there's no Noddy!" she smiled waiting for his answer.

**"**There's no Noddy."

"Next thing you know, you'll be telling me its like 'Murder On The Orient Express', and they all did it!" she expressed. They left the library and met Agatha at the bottom of the staircase.

**"**Murder on the Orient Express?" she asked.

**"**Oh, yeah. One of your best!" Donna praised.

**"**But not yet." The Doctor reminded Donna.

**"**Marvelous idea though." Agatha piped up.

**"**Yeah. Tell you what, copyright Donna Noble, okay?" Donna said leaning in close to her.

**"**Anyway! Agatha and I will question the suspects, Donna, you search the bedrooms. Look for clues._" _The Doctor said quickly. He handed her a magnifying glass. "You'll need this." He said. Donna grasped it, looking at him oddly.

**"**Is that for real?" she asked.

**"**Go on. You're ever so plucky." The Doctor smiled sticking his hands in his pockets. Not too pleased, Donna headed upstairs, leaving the Doctor beaming at Agatha. Donna slowed her pace as she listened intently to their conversation.

**"**_Right then! Solving a murder mystery with Agatha Christie, brilliant!" _

**"**_How like a man to have fun, while there's disaster all around him." _

**"**_Sorry, yeah." _

**"**_I'll work with you, gladly. But for the sake of justice. Not your own amusement." _

**"**_Yeah." _

Donna turned to see the Doctor place his left hand upon her shoulder. She swiftly turned around and plunged up the stairs. She wiped the tears away and leaned against the stairwell wall. She slid down, and hugged her knees. Donna placed her head upon her knee caps.

_Why is he doing this to me? What have I every done to him? Wait, what am I saying? It's not like he's mine or anything. _She wiped away the few remaining tears. She stood up and composed herself. She then climbed the few steps.

_Upstairs, Donna tried to open a door but it is locked. Greeves appeared suddenly and Donna let out a surprised little scream. _

**"**You won't find anything in there." He told her.

**"**How come it's locked?" she asked.

**"**Lady Eddison commands it to be so."

**"**And I command it to be otherwise. Scotland Yard, pip-pip." Greeves _reluctantly went forward and unlocked the door. "_Why's it locked in the first place?"

**"**Many years ago, when my father was butler to the family, Lady Eddison returned from India with malaria. She locked herself in this room for six months until she recovered. Since then, the room has remained undisturbed. " he answered her. _He opened the door and Donna stepped in. _

**"**There's nothing in here." He said

**"**How long's it been empty?"

**"**Forty years."

**"**Why would she seal it off? All right, I need to investigate, you just... butle off." _She closed the door and started to look around. She found a big teddy bear on the bed. She picked up and smiled, it reminded her of her own when she was younger._

_Donnas san to her room and slammed the door shut. She jumped onto her bed and cried. He forgot again! Another birthday gone without a word from him. She slid her hand cross the bed. Her hand came in contact with something soft and furry. She lifted up her tear stained face and looked at the object. It was a dark teddy bear with a red bow-tie in front of it's right ear. A note was pinned to the bears hand. She picked it up and read it._

_'Dear Donna,_

_Happy Birthday Donna. Sorry I couldn't see you, I had an emergence in the 3700's. But I wish you the Best of luck in the year to come. Happy Birthday again! _

_Signed,_

_Your Doctor_

_Donna shook her head. She heard a slight buzzing._ "1926, they've still got bees. Oh, what a noise! All right, busy bee, I'll let you out. Hold on, I shall find you with my amazing powers of detection." _Lifting up her magnifying glass, she walked to the window. She pulled aside the heavy curtains hiding the view. She screamed as a giant wasp appeared. The wasp broke through the glass, shattering it into hundreds of pieces._

**"**That's impossible!" _she backed up, avoiding the wasps giant stinger. _"Doctor!" she cried. _The wasp was about to attack, but she held out the magnifying glass and focuses the sunlight on its body, stopping it for a moment. _

**"**DOCTOR!" she screamed again before_ running out of the room and shut the door. The wasp stings through the wood and Donna screamed as the stinger slices her arm. The Doctor and Agatha arrived, running to her aid. _

**"**It's a giant wasp!" Donna breathed.

**"**What d'you mean, a giant wasp?" the Doctor asked.

**"**I mean, a wasp that's giant!"

**"**It's only a silly little insect." Agatha insisted.

**"**When I say giant, I don't mean big, I mean flippin' enormous! Look at its sting!" she said pointing to the door with her good arm. _They looked down at the huge sting, stuck into the door. _

**"**Let me see." The Doctor said. He walked over to her. She went to step aside, but he grabbed her injured arm. "No, let me see this." He said referring to her cut. He brought her arm closer to his face. She turned her head blushing.

"Oh, I'm fine." He nodded and pulled out a handkerchief, tearing it into several long pieces. He tied them securely around the wound and them walked into the room, only to find it empty.

_"_It's gone. Buzzed off." The Doctor said pulling out his glasses and putting them on. _Agatha bows to examine the sting. _

**"**But that's fascinating..." Agatha said.

**"**D-D-D-Don't touch it! Don't touch it! Let me..." he said walking briskly over to her. _He collected some slime from the sting and placed it into a test tube. _"Giant wasp... Well, tons of amorphous insectivorous life forms, but none in this galactic vector."

"I think I understood some of those words. Enough to know that you're completely potty." Agatha exclaimed.

**"**Lost its sting though, that makes it defenseless." Donna said placing a hand on her would. Some poison must have hit her wound, for she found it quite hard to breathe.

"Oh, creature this size, got to be able to grow a new one." The Doctor said, taking off his glasses.

**"**Can we return to sanity? There are no such things as giant wasps!" Agatha argued.

**"**Exactly. So, question is, what's it doing here?" the Doctor asked walking to Donnas side placing his hand on top of hers that laid over her wound. "How you feeling?" he whispered in her ear. She looked up into his eyes, a bit dazed.

"It's somewhat hard to breathe." He nodded and left Donna's side. **Doctor heard a buzzing sound and looked up to see the giant wasp.**

"There!" he shouted. The wasp flew away and they ran after it. "Come on!"

**"**Hey, this makes a change, there's a monster, and we're chasing it." Donna remarked.

"Can't be a monster, it's a trick, they do it with mirrors!" Agatha told her. _The Doctor, Donna and Agatha run up the flight stairs and find the wasp. _"By all that's holy!" She whispered.

**"**Oh, but you are wonderful!" the Doctor exclaimed, smiling. _The wasp charges at them and the Doctor reached out for Donna. _**"**Now, just stop, stop there!"

**"**Oi, fly boy!" Donna shouted. _She pointed the magnifying glass at the wasp and it flew off. _

**"**Don't let it get away! Quick! Before it reverts back to human form." _They run down the stairs and stop at the end of an empty corridor._ "Where are you? Come on! There's nowhere to run. Show yourself!" he shouted.

_The doors along the corridor opened and all the guests and family emerge from their rooms. _

**"**Oh, that's just cheating." The Doctor groaned as he ran his fingers through his hair.

***  
_Everyone gathered in the drawing room. _

**"**My faithful companion, this is terrible!" Lady Eddison cried.

**"**Excuse me, my lady, but she was on her way to tell you something." Davenport told her.

**"**She never found me. She had an appointment with death instead." Lady Eddison whispered.

**"**She said "The poor little child". Does that mean anything to anyone?" The Doctor asked looking around the room.

**"**No children in this house for years, highly unlikely there will be." The Colonel said looking at his son and Davenport.

**"**Mrs Christie, you must have triggered something, you've written simply the best detective stories." Robina pointed out.

**"**Tell us, what would Poirot do?" Reverend asked.

**"**Heavens sake! Cards on the table, woman, you should be helping us." The Colonel exclaimed.

**"**But, I'm merely a writer." She said looking down.

**"**But surely you can crack it, these events, they're exactly like one of your plots." Roger said.

**"**That's what I've been saying! Agatha, that's gotta mean something." Donna encouraged.

**"**But, what? I've no answers. None. I'm sorry, all of you, I'm truly sorry, but I've failed. If anyone can help us then it's the Doctor, not me." Agatha said before her and Donna left the room.

***  
_Donna sat down next to Agatha in the garden._

"You know what I think? Those books of yours, one day they could turn them into films, they could be talking pictures." Donna advised.

**"**Talking pictures? Pictures that... talk? What do you mean?" She asked.

**"**Oh, blimey, I've done it again." Donna scolded herself.

**"**I appreciate you trying to be kind, but you're right, these murders are like my own creations. It's as though someone's mocking me, and I've had enough scorn for one lifetime."

**"**Yeah... Thing is, I had this bloke once, I was engaged, and I loved him, I really did. Turns out he was lying through his teeth. But d'you know what? I moved on. I was lucky, I found the Doctor, and it's changed my life. There's always someone else."

**"**I see. Is my marriage the stuff of gossip now?" Agatha said disgusted.

**"**No! I just… sorry."

**"**No matter. The stories are true. I found my husband with another woman. A younger, prettier woman, isn't it always the way?"

**"**Well, mine was with an old had and several children, but, same difference." She had been engaged to someone named Charles. Little did she know that was a rapist and a murderer. She hadn't told anyone what he had done to her, not even the Doctor.

You and the Doctor talk such wonderful nonsense. Your sure you two aren't a couple?"

**"What, No we aren't." Donna blushed. "**Agatha, people love your books, they really do, they're gonna be reading them for years to come."

**"**If only! Try as I might it's hardly great literature, now that's beyond me. I'm afraid my books will be forgotten, like ephemera." She spotted something. "Hello, what's that? Those flowerbeds were perfectly neat earlier, now some of the stalks are bent over." She picked up a small box.

"There you go, who'd ever notice that? You're brilliant!" Donna beamed.

***  
_"_Your drinks, ladies. Doctor." Greeves said handing them their drinks.

**"V**ery good, Greeves." Said the Doctor. Greeves nodded and left.

**"**How about the science stuff, what did you find?" Donna asked taking a sip of her drink. _The Doctor pulled out the test tube._

**"**Vespiform sting. Vespiforms have got hives in the Silfrax galaxy." He said. He looked over at Donna. He still had know idea how the Venom would effect her.

**"**Again, you talk like Edward Lear." Agatha laughed.

**"**But for some reason, this one's behaving like a character in one of your books." He took a sip from his drink.

"Come on, Agatha, what would Miss Marple do? She'd have overheard something vital by now, because the murderer thinks she's just a harmless old lady." Donna piped in.

**"**Clever idea. Miss Marple? Who writes those?"

**"**Um, copyright Donna Noble, add it to the list." Donna whispered in Agatha's ear.

**"**Donna..." The Doctor groaned.

**"**Okay, we could split the copyright." Donna corrected.

**"**No. Something's inhibiting my enzymes. ARGH! I've been poisoned!" He screamed in agony.

**"**What do we do? What do we do?!" Donna cried as she ran over to him. He grabbed her hand as he cried out again. _Agatha smelled his drink._

**"**Bitter almonds! It's cyanide! Sparkling cyanide!" Agatha called out as the Doctor and Donna ran out of the room. she got up and ran after them.

_They burst into the kitchen. The Doctor staggered to Davenport and grabbed him._

**"**Ginger beer!" He yelled.

**"**I beg your pardon?" Davenport said clearly offended.

**"**I need ginger beer!" he said again. _He struggled to the kitchen shelf, sweeping off stuff while he searched for ginger beer._

**"**The gentleman's gone mad!" Mrs. Hart exclaimed. _The Doctor found the bottle and drank of it, then pours the rest on his head._

**"**I'm an expert in poisons, Doctor. There's no cure! It's fatal!" Agatha cried out. _He spit out the rest of the drink._

**"**Not for me! I can stimulate the inhibited enzymes into reversal... Protein! I need protein!" _He leaned on the worktop, panting in agony, while Donna and Agatha searched the kitchen supplies._

**"**Walnuts?" Donna asked, she walked over to him.

**"**Brilliant!" _She handed him a jar of walnuts and he gobbled it down. Mouth full, he gestured to Donna, shaking his hand up and down._

**"**I can't understand you! How many words?" Donna asked. _He lifted up one finger._

"One! One word!" _He kept shaking his hand._

**"**Shake, milk shake, milk? Milk? No, not milk? Hm, shake, shake, shake... Cocktail shaker! What do you want, a Harvey Wall banger?"

_He finally managed to swallow the walnuts._ "Harvey Wall banger?!"

**"**Well, I don't know!" Donna admitted.

**"**How is Harvey Wall banger one word?!"

**"**What do you need, Doctor?!" Agatha shouted, irritated.

**"**Salt, I was miming salt! Salt! I need something salty!"

"What about this?" Donna asked, showing him a brown paper bag.

_"_What is it?" he asked.

**"**Salt!" Donna answered looking at the bag.

**"**That's too salty!"

**"**Oh, that's too salty!" Donna jeered. _Agatha handed him a jar._

**"**What about this?!" Agatha asked. _He opens the jar and gobbled the contents. _

**"**What's that?" Donna asked Agatha.

**"**Anchovies!" she answered. The Doctor began to make another gesture.

_"_What is it? What else? It's a song? Mammy? Um, I don't know, Camp town Races?" Donna shouted.

**"**Camp town Races?" he said in disbelief.

**"**All right then, Towering Inferno!" she said mimicking his movements.

**"**It's a shock! Look! Shock! I need a shock!" he breathed.

**"**Right then. Big shock, coming up!" _She grabbed him and kissed him forcefully. Donna felt his hands come to her waist to pull her loser to his body. She let him go, at the sudden contact. The Doctor breathed out a cloud of grey smoke. Donna, Agatha and the kitchen staff stared at him, shocked._

**"**Detox!"_ he wiped his mouth. "_I must do that more often!" _Donna gave him a nasty look._ "I mean, the, the detox."

**"**Doctor, you are impossible! Who are you?" Agatha asked in disbelief. He grinned and ran out of the kitchen.

***  
_There was a clap of thunder and lightning. In the manor, the group was having dinner together in the dining room._

**"**A terrible day for all of us. The Professor struck down, Miss Chandrakala taken cruelly from us… and yet we still take dinner." The Doctor said sitting down.

**"**We are British, Doctor. What else must we do?" Lady Eddison said never looking up from her plate.

**"**Then someone tried to poison me. Any one of you had the chance to put cyanide in my drink. But it rather gave me an idea." He said looking at everyone.

**"**And what would that be?" the reverend asked.

**"**Well … poison. Drink up!" he said grinning. Everyone looked at him oddly and Donna slapped his arm. _"Ow!" he rubbed his arm. "_I've laced the soup with pepper."

**"**Ah, I thought it was jolly spicy." The Colonel said taking another sip of soup.

**"**But the active ingredient of pepper is piperine. Traditionally used as an , anyone got the shivers?" The Doctor explained, looking around. _There was another strike of lightning and the window was blown violently open, the candles blew out, and the room went pitch black._

**"**What the deuce is that!?" The Colonel shouted through the darkness.

**"**Listen… listen, listen, listen!" the Doctor ordered his hand searching for Donna's. When the room filled with silence, a slight buzzing was able to be herd.

"No, it can't be..." Lady Eddison cried out, standing up. Another clap of lightening light the room for a split second.

"Show yourself, demon!" Agatha ordered standing as well.

**"**Nobody move! No, don't, stay where you are!" The Doctor shouted, when the others began to leave. _The Vespiform showed itself._

**"**Out, out, out, out!_" The Doctor yelled. The Doctor pushed Agatha in front of him, ending up in a small room together with Donna and Greeves. _

**"**Not you, Agatha. You've got a long, long life to live yet." The Doctor told her. He walked over to Donna. "You okay?" he asked, his hand finding her to give it a reassuring squeeze. He sighed when she squeezed back. He closed his eyes as he released it. He walked over to the wall and took the sword.

**"**Well, we know the butler didn't do it!" Donna said prying Greeves hands off of her.

**"**Then who did?" the Doctor asked. The lights turned on. _They found that most of the people didn't leave the dining room: Robina was still sitting in astonishment, gasping, the Colonel was topsy-turvy on his wheelchair, Lady Eddison was at the head of the table, Davenport was on the ground, and the Reverend was to the side of the room_

**"**My jewelry! The Firestone! It's gone! Stolen…" Lady Eddison announced.

**"**Roger..." Davenport breathed. _Roger was lying with his head in a bowl, a knife in his back. Robina screamed when she laid eyes on him. Lady Eddison walked over to her son's body shaking her head in disbelief. _

**"**My son … my child!" she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

***  
_In the drawing room, Agatha sat on the sofa and the Doctor stood in front of the fireplace, thinking. Donna walked in and sat next to Agatha._

**"**That poor footman. Roger's dead and he can't even mourn him. 1926, it's more like the dark ages." Donna grumbled.

"Did you enquire after the necklace?" Agatha asked.

**"**Lady Eddison bought it back from 's worth thousands."

**"**It can sting, it can fly. It could wipe us all out in seconds, why is it playing this game?" The Doctor pondered. The girls looked up at him questionably.

**"**Every murder is essentially the same. They are committed because somebody wants something." Agatha told him.

**"**What does a Vespiform want?" he said. He hit his head in frustration.

**"**Doctor, stop it. The murderer is as human as you or I." Agatha told him.

**"**You're right!" he said. He walked over to the girls and kneeled in front of Agatha. _"_Ah, I've been so caught up with giant wasps that I've forgotten. You're the expert!"

**Agatha looked at him flabbergasted. "**I'm not, I've told you! I'm just a... purveyor of nonsense."

**"**No, no, no, no, no! Because plenty of people write detective stories, but yours are the best! And why? Why are you so good, Agatha Christie? Because you understand! You've lived… you've fought… you've had your heart broken. You know about people... their passions, their hope, and despair, and anger. All of those tiny, huge things, that can turn the most ordinary person into a killer. Just think, Agatha! If anyone can solve this... it's you!" He cried.

***  
_Everyone gathered in the drawing room. The Doctor stood in front of the group._

**"**I've called you here on this endless night, because we have a murderer in our midst. And when it comes to detection, there's none finer. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you … Agatha Christie!" _The Doctor sat down next to Donna as Agatha took his spot._

**"**This is a crooked house. A house of secrets. To understand the solution, we must examine them all. Starting with you…" she paused, looking in the direction of Lady Edison, but quickly turns to Robina. "...Miss Redmond."

**"**But I'm innocent, surely?" Robina said.

**"**You've never met these people and these people have never met you. I think the real Robina Redmond never left London, you're impersonating her!" Agatha announced.

**"**How silly! What proof do you have?" Robina laughed.

**"**You said you went to the toilet…" Agatha started.

**"**Oh, I know this. If she was really posh, she'd say 'loo'." Donna interrupted. Agatha reached down and lifted up the Unicorn's box, off of the coffee table.

_"_Earlier today, Miss Noble and I found this on the lawn. Right beneath your bathroom window. You must have heard that Miss Noble was searching the bedrooms, so you panicked. You ran upstairs and disposed of the evidence."

_"_I've never seen that thing before in my life." Robina protested.

**"**What's inside it?" Lady Eddison asked. _Agatha opened the box to reveal its contents._

**"**The tools of your trade, Miss Redmond. Or should I say… the Unicorn!" Agatha said, showing the tools to everyone. Everyone's eyes fell upon Robina. "You came to this house with one sole intention. To steal the Firestone!"

_Robina looked at Agatha closely in the eye, before getting up from her seat. Her voice, her accent, her whole attitude changed._

**"**Oh, alright then. It's a fair cop. Yes, I'm the bleedin' Unicorn. Ever so nice to meet you, I don't think. I took my chance in the dark and napped it. Go on then, you knobs. Arrest me, sling me in jail!" _She pulled out the Firestone from inside her dress and tossed it to the Doctor._

**"**So, is she the murderer?" Donna asked.

**"**Don't be so thick. I might be a thief, but I ain't no killer." Robina said sitting back down.

**"**Quite. There are darker motives at work. And in examining this household, we come to you … Colonel!"

**"**Damn it, woman! You with your perspicacity! You've rumbled me." He shouted. _He stood up from his wheelchair. _

**"**Hugh, you can walk! But why!?" Lady Eddison cried.

**"**My darling, how else could I be certain of keeping you by my side?" He asked her.

**"**I don't understand..." Lady Eddison closed her eyes hiding a few tears.

**"**You're still a beautiful woman, Clemency. Sooner or later some chap will turn your head. I couldn't bear that. Staying in the chair was the only way I could be certain of keeping you. Confound it, Mrs. Christie, how did you discover the truth?"

**"**Um, actually I had no idea. I was just going to say you're completely innocent." Agatha told him.

**"**Oh... ugh." The Colonel stumbled for words.

**"**Sorry!" Agatha apologized.

**"**Well, well shall I sit down then?" He asked.

**"**Yeah, I think you better had." The Doctor said nodding. The Colonel sat down and held Lady Eddison's hand.

**"**So he's not the murderer?" Donna asked Agatha

**"**Indeed, not. To find the truth let's return to this. Far more than the Unicorn's object of desire. The Firestone has quite a history. Lady Eddison." She said as she took the fire stone from the Doctors hand.

**"**I've done nothing!" Lady Eddison exclaimed, clearly shocked.

**"**You brought it back from India, did you not? Before you met the Colonel. You came home with malaria, and confined yourself to this house for six month, in a room that has been kept locked ever since, which I rather think means..."

**"**Stop, please." Lady Eddison whispered.

**"**I'm so sorry. But you had fallen pregnant in India. Unmarried and ashamed, you hurried back to England with your confidante, a young maid later to become housekeeper Miss Chandrakala." Agatha further explained.

**"**Clemency, is this true?" The Colonel asked her.

**"**My poor baby. I had to give him away. The shame of it." Lady Eddison sobbed.

**"**But you never said a word..." The Colonel breathed. He was more shocked than anyone. He released her hand and looked away.

**"**I had no choice. Imagine the scandal. The family name! I'm British, I carry on." Lady Eddison told him.

**"**And it was no ordinary pregnancy." The Doctor said low. They all looked at him.

**"**How can you know that?" Lady Eddison asked.

**"**'Scuse me Agatha, this is my territory. But when you heard that buzzing sound in the dining room, you said 'It can't be.' Why did you say that?" He asked looking at her skeptically

**"**You'd never believe it." She whispered.

**"**The Doctor has opened my mind to believe many things." Agatha pointed out. Donna starred up at the Doctor. She was right, there was nothing you could tell the Doctor that would seem out of the norm.

_"_It was forty years ago, in the heat of Delhi, late one night. I was alone. And that's when I saw it, a dazzling light in the sky. The next day, he came to the house. Christopher, the most handsome man I'd ever seen. Our love blazed like a wildfire. I held nothing back. And in return ... he showed me the incredible truth about himself. He'd made himself human, to learn about us." Lady Eddison explained to everyone. "This was his true shape. I loved him so much, it didn't matter. But he was stolen from me. 1885, the year of the great monsoon. The river Jumna rose up and broke its banks. He was taken at the flood. But Christopher left me a parting gift, a jewel like no other. I wore it always, part of me never forgot. I kept it close. Always."

**"**Just like a man, flashes his family jewels, and you end up with a bun in the oven!" Robina scoffed

**"**A 'poor little child'. Forty years ago, Miss Chandrakala took that newborn babe to an orphanage. But Professor Peach worked it out. He found the birth certificate." Agatha further explained.

**"**Oh, that's maiden! Maiden name!" Donna said, standing as well.

**"**Precisely." Agatha smiled.

**"**So, she killed him?" Donna asked once again. The Doctor looked at her and frowned.

**"**I did not!" Lady Eddison protested.

"Miss Chandrakala feared that the Professor had unearthed your secret. She was coming to warn you." Agatha tried to explain.

**"**So, she killed her?" Donna asked again. The Doctor just stared at Donna. Was she really this thick?

"I did not!" Repeated Lady Eddison.

Lady Eddison is innocent. Because at this point... Doctor!" The Doctor looked at Agatha and grinned. Agatha sat down with Donna.

_"_Thank you. At this point, when we consider the lies and the secrets, and the key to these events, then we have to consider... it was you, Donna Noble!" he said pointing at Donna. She looked at him oddly. How could he accuse her?!

**"**What!? Who did I kill?" Donna stuttered.

**"**No, but you said it, all along. The vital clue. This whole thing is being acted out like a murder mystery. Which means ...it was you, Agatha Christie!" he said pointing to Agatha.

**"**I beg your pardon, sir!" Agatha said astonished.

**"**So, she killed them?" Donna asked, frustrated with the way they were handling this.

**"**No! But she wrote! She wrote those brilliant, clever books. And who's her greatest admirer? The moving finger points at you... Lady Eddison!" the Doctor corrected.

**"**Don't, leave me alone!" she whined.

**"**So, she did kill them?" Donna whispered.

**"**No! But just think, last Thursday night, what were you doing?" he asked her.

I was… I was in the library. I was reading my favorite Agatha Christie_. _Thinking about her plots, and how clever she must be. How is that relevant?" she looked up at the Doctor.

**"**Just think. What else happened on Thursday night?_" He asked everyone in the room. The Doctor settled his gaze on the reverend, who just looked at him confused._

_"_I'm sorry?" the Reverend asked.

**"**You said on the lawn, this afternoon. Last Thursday night, those boys broke into your church." The Doctor said.

**"**That's correct. They did. I discovered the two of them. Thieves in the night, I was most perturbed. But, I apprehended them."

**"**Really? A man of God against two strong lads? A man in his forties? Or, should I say... forty years old, exactly?" the Doctor questioned.

**"**Oh my god!" Lady Eddison gasped.

**"**Lady Eddison, your child, how old would he be now?" the Doctor asked her, his eyes never leaving the Reverend.

**"**Forty, he's forty!"

**"**Your child has come home." The Doctor mused.

**"**This is poppycock!" The Reverend smiled and chuckled.

**"**Oh? You said you were taught by the Christian Fathers. Meaning, you were raised in an orphanage."

**"**My son... can it be?" Lady Eddison breathed, fresh tears falling down her face.

**"**You found those thieves, Reverend, and you got angry! A proper, deep anger, for the first time in your life, and it broke the genetic lock! You've changed! You realized your inheritance! After all these years, you knew who you were." He walked over to Agatha and took the Fire stone.

"Oh, and then it all kicks off, cos this isn't just jewel. It's a Vespiform telepathic recorder! It's part of you, your brain, your very essence. When you activated, so did the Firestone. It beamed your full identity directly into your mind. And, at the same time it absorbed the works of Agatha Christie, directly from Lady Eddison. It all became part of you. Mechanics of those novels formed a template in your brain. You've killed, in this pattern, because that's what you think the world is. Turns out, we are in the middle of a murder mystery. One of yours, Dame Agatha!"

**"**Dame?" Agatha asked.

**"**Oh, sorry, not yet." The Doctor apologized.

**"**So he killed them? Yes? Definitely?" Donna asked one last time. The Doctor looked down at her and smiled.

**"**Yes."

**"**Well ...this has certainly been a most entertaining evening." The Reverend laughed. Everyone looked at him. "Really, you can't believe any of this surely, Lady Edizzzz..."

**"**Lady who?" the Doctor asked, placing his hands in his pockets, leaning forward a bit.

**"**Lady Edizzzzzon..." he struggled.

**"**Little bit of buzzing there, Vicar?" the Doctor egged him on. Donna stood up grabbing his arm.

"Doctor, Don't." Donna whispered.

"Don't make me angry!" the Reverend warned. _He rose from his seat and stood up in front of the group. _

**"**Why? What happens then?" the Doctor pushed. He felt Donna's grip tighten. He looked back and saw that she was in pain. "Donna?" she collapsed into him breathing harshly.

"I'll end her life." The Reverend threatened. The Doctor looked at him.

"No, you. Will. Not." The Doctor spoke through gritted teeth.

"Damn it! You humanzzzz! Worshipping your tribal sky godzzz! I am so much more! That night, the universe exploded in my mind! I wanted to take what wazzz mine. And you, Agatha Christie, with your railway station bookstall romancezzzzz… What'zzzzz to stop me killing her?"

**"**Oh, my dear god. My child!" Lady Eddison cried out, reaching toward him. _Purple light surrounded the Reverend while he transformed into the Vespiform._

"What'zzzzz to stop me killing you all?" fully transformed he charged at everyone.

_"_Forgive me!" Lady Eddison pleaded with her son.

**"**No, no, Clemency, come back! Keep away, keep away my darling!" The Colonel called, pulling her away from the Vespiform.

_"_No! No more murder! If my imagination made you kill, then my imagination will find a way to stop you, foul creature!" Agatha shouted, holding up the fire stone.

_She ran out, the Doctor carrying the barely conscious Donna, and the Vespiform following them._

**"**Wait! Now it's chasing us!" she moaned, her eyes slowly closing.

"Stay with me Donna. Stay with me." He told her._ Agatha drove up in one of the vintage cars and beeps the horn at them. The Vespiform breaks through the door that the Doctor had just shut._

**"**Over here! Come and get me, Reverend!" Agatha urged.

**"**Agatha, what are you doing?" The Doctor called out to her.

**"**If I started this Doctor, then I must stop it!" she answered, before she drove away. The Doctor ran to another car. He laid Donna in the backseat. He watched as the Vespiform went off after Agatha. The Doctor hoped in and drove after them. He took a few glances back at Donna.

"You said this is the night Agatha Christie loses her memory." She whispered. Her voice barely auditable.

**"**Time is in flux, Donna! For all we know, this is the night Agatha Christie loses her life and history gets changed. Now, just stay awake and try not to talk, okay?"

**"**But where's she going?"

**"**The lake! She's heading for the lake." _What's she doing?_ He thought to himself.

_The car stopped at the Silent Pool Lake. Agatha got out and held up the Firestone, which was engulfed in purple glow._

"Here I am! The honey in the trap. Come to me, Vespiform..." Agatha cried.

**"**She's controlling it…" Donna whispered. She closed her eyes and fell unconscious.

**"**Its mind is based on her thought processes. They're linked!" he looked back at Donna, only to find her unconscious. "Donna? Donna?! Wake up, Wake up!" he looked up at the Vespiform with such hate and anger, the Doctor himself could snap. _The Doctor stepped in front of Agatha and faced the Vespiform._

**"**Don't hurt her! You're not meant to be like this. You've got the wrong template in your mind. You can save your self, and you can save Donna. Don't, just don't."

**The **_Doctor snatched the Firestone off Agatha and threw it into the lake, the Vespiform chasing after it, drowning in a purple glow. The two of them looked down at the lake in sorrow. A slight murmur was heard, and the Doctor and Agatha looked over to see Donna's eyes open. Agatha noticed that the Doctor's face light up and relaxed, knowing that she was okay._

_"Donna." He whispered grinning. He walked over to her, helping her stand._

"Drown it. Just like his father." Donna said sadly, looking at the bubbling water.

**"**Death comes as the end... and justice is served." Agatha told herself.

**"**Murder at the Vicar's rage." Donna just stared at him. _He rubbed the back of his neck. "We-ell, _needs a bit of work."

**"**Just one mystery left, Doctor. Who exactly are you?" Agatha asked walking over to where he stood, holding onto Donna as if that was his lifeline.

**"**Lady Eddison, the Colonel, and all the staff … what about them?" Donna asked the Doctor. She positioned herself on the console.

_"_Shameful story. They'd never talk of it. Too British. While the Unicorn does a bunk, back to London town. She could never even say she was there." The Doctor shrugged.

**"**But, what happens to Agatha?" Donna asks.

**"**Oh, great life! Met another man, married again. Saw the world. Wrote and wrote and wrote."

**"**She never thought her books were any good, though. And she must have spent all those years wondering."

"Thing is, I don't think she ever quite forgot. Great mind like that, some of the details kept bleeding through. All the stuff her imagination could use. Like, Miss Marple!"

**"**I should have made her sign a contract." Donna grumbled.

**"**And, where is it, where is it, hold on…" he bent down and lifted up a piece of the TARDIS floor and pulled out a chest. "Here we go.C..." he opened the chest and rummaged through the contents. "That is, C for Cybermen, C for Carrionites, and... Christie, Agatha!" He announced.

He showed a book to Donna. It was labeled, 'Death in the Clouds', with a giant wasp on the cover. "Look at that."

**"**She did remember!" Donna smiled.

**"**Somewhere in the back of her mind, it all lingered. And that's not all. Look at the copyright page." He handed the book to Donna. She opened it up and examined the copyright page.

_"_Facsimile edition, published in the year… five billion?!"

**"**People never stop reading them. She is the best selling novelist, of all time."

**"**But she never knew."

**"**Well, no one knows how they're gonna be remembered. All we can do is hope for the best. Maybe that's what kept her writing. Same thing keeps me travelling with you."

"Onwards?" Donna asked him smiling. He looked at her and smiled back.

"Onwards!" he smiled. She turned away and looked at the console. He watched her smiling; his hands traveled into his pockets. He pulled out a small box; his fingers opened it to see a small, gold band laying the box. "Onwards." He repeated. Just as he closed it Donna turned around.

"What was that?" she asked. He slipped the box back into his pockets and grinned.

"Nothing."

"Right, spaceman." She chuckled and walked off to her room. The Doctor smiled and leaned against the Console.


	10. The Library

_The Doctor picked up his coat and left the TARDIS, followed by Donna. They stepped into a giant, but empty room. _

**"**51st century. By now you've got holovids, direct to brain downloads, fiction mist, but you need the smell. The smell of books, Donna. Deep breath." He mused, as they crossed the room. They soon entered a smaller room where a balcony laid in the far right of the room. They peered outside to see a whole city of books! "The Library. So big it doesn't need a name. Just a great big 'the.'"

**"**It's like a city." Donna said starring out over the view.

**"**It's a world. Literally a world. The whole core of the planet is the index computer, biggest hard drive ever. And up here, every book ever written. Whole continents of Jeffrey Archer, Bridget Jones, Monty Python's Big Red Book. Brand new editions, specially printed. We're near the equator, so... this must be Biographies! I love biographies!" he said turning to her grinning. She smiled at him warmly.

**"**Yeah, very you. Always a death at the end." She laughed as he shot her a glance.

**"**You need a good death. Without death, there'd only be comedies. Dying gives us size." He protested.

"Right." _Donna picked up a book, but the Doctor snatched it from her before she could read anything._

**"**Oi! Spoilers!" he scolded her.

**"**What?"

**"**These books are from your future. You don't want to read ahead, spoil all the surprises. Like peeking at the end." He further explained. She smiled and took his hand.

**"**Isn't travelling with you one big spoiler?" he looked down into her eyes and smiled. His hand slipped into his pocket, looking for a certain object when he realized something.

**"**I... try to keep you away from major plot developments. Which, to be honest, I seem to be very bad at, cos you know what? This is the biggest Library in the universe. So where is everyone? It's silent." He walked over to an information terminal.

_"_The Library?" Donna asked fallowing him.

**"**The planet. The whole planet."

**"**Maybe it's a Sunday." Donna shrugged. He continued to look at the screen with such intensity that it scared Donna.

**"**No, I never land on Sundays. Sundays are boring."

**"**Well... Maybe everyone's really, really quiet." She said, trying to point out they were in fact in a library.

**"**Yeah, maybe. But they'd still show up on the system." He showed Donna a few things on the screen. She grabbed his hand and used her thumb to stroke small circles on the back of it. He paused and looked up at her confused.

**"**Doctor, why are we here? Really, why?" she asked him. She searched his eyes for any emotions, but only to find none. What was he supposed to tell her? That this was were his parents got engaged and he was planning on asking her the same question his father had asked his mother.

**"**Oh, you know, just passing." He tore his eyes away and stared back at the screen.

**"**No, seriously. It was all, 'let's hit the beach' then suddenly we're in a Library. Why?" she crossed her arms.

**"**Now, that's interesting."

**"**What?" she leaned in closer, her hand resting on his back. The sudden contact made his breath get caught in his throat.

**"**Scanning for life forms. If I do a scan looking for your basic humanoids - you know, your book readers, few limbs and a face. Apart from us, I get nothing. Zippo, nada, see? Nobody home. But if I widen the parameters to any kind of life..." he pushed a few keys. Numbers ran wildly across the screen until it stopped and flashed 'Error' across the screen. "A million million. Gives up after that. A million million."

**"**But there's nothing here. There's no-one." Donna pointed out, standing straight. The Doctor fallowed suit.

**"**And not a sound. A million million life forms, and silence in the Library."

"But there's no-one here. There are just books. I mean, it's not the books, is it? I mean, it can't be the books, can it? I mean, books can't be alive?" she asked, a hint of fear in her voice. The Doctor cautiously reached for a book. Just before he touches it a voice echo's through the room, causing both him and Donna to jump.

_"_That came from in there." Said taking the Doctors hand once again.

"Yeah!" _They headed back to the room that they had first encountered. They saw a Node there - it looked like a modern statue, with a living face mounted on its head._

**"**I am Courtesy Node 710/aqua. Please enjoy the Library and respect the personal access codes of all your fellow readers regardless of species or hygiene taboo." The Node said.

**"**That face, it looks real." Donna pointed to the statue.

**"**Yeah, don't worry about it."

**"**But a statue with a real face, though! It's a hologram or something, isn't it?" she halted and looked back up at the Doctor.

**"**No, but really, it's... fine." He reassured her.

**"**Additional. There follows a brief message from the head librarian for your urgent attention. It has been edited for tone and content by Felman Lux Automated Decency Filter. Message follows. '_Run. For God's sake, run. No way is safe. The Library has sealed itself, we can't... Oh, they're here. Arg. Slarg. Snick._' Message ends. Please switch off your mobile communication units for the comfort of other readers."

**"**So that's why we're here... Any other messages, same date stamp?" The Doctor said walking closer to it.

**"**One additional message. This message carries a Felman Lux coherency warning of 5, 0, 11..."

**"**Yeah, yeah, fine, fine, fine, just play it." The Doctor said.

**"**Message follows. '_Count the shadows. For God's sake, remember... if you want to live, count the shadows._' Message ends."

"Donna..." he called her franticly. He looked as saw her walking towards a shadow.

**"**Yeah?" she called over her shoulder. He ran up to her placed a hand on her shoulder.

**"**Stay out of the shadows."

**"**Why, what's in the shadows?" unable to answer them he grabs her hand and leads her into aisle between bookshelves, that stood several floors high. "So... We weren't just in the neighborhood."

**"**Yeah, I kind of, sort of lied a bit. I got a message on the psychic paper." He closes his eyes and thinks of a message. Once he'd gotten a proper one he flashed Donna it.

_"'__The Library. Come as soon as you can. X__'" she read the paper._

**"**What do you think? Cry for help?" she looked at him skeptically. He avoided her gaze. He didn't know what else to write.

**"**Cry for help - with a kiss?" she said a bit more harsh. He rubbed the back of his neck. How was he going to explain this one? _That while I was trying to think of an excuse, I couldn't help but notice that you're wearing new lip gloss. And that how wonderful it would be of I could just taste it on your lips. _Oh ya that would go smoothly with Donna.

**"**Oh-uh, we've all done that."

**"**Who's it from?" Donna asked, crossing her arms above her chest.

**"**No idea." he lied. She sighed and relaxed her body. _Is he really this daft?_ Something clicked in her mind. She grinned and walked up to him. She placed her palms firmly on his chest. "Donna? What are you doing?"

She leaned her body closer to his and instinctively the Doctor grabbed her waist. Their lips were inches apart; he could feel her breath against his lips and it ran shivers down his spine. He closed his eyes as his hands pulled her waist further into him. She smiled wickedly feeling his erection growing. She pulled away and grinned at him. He opened his eyes, confused.

**"Next time don't lie to me, Spaceman. **So why did we come here, why did you..."

**"**Donna!" The Doctor shouted. The lights on the very far end of the corridor were starting to go out. Donna looked towards the Darkness and found that it was moving rather quickly towards them.

_"_What's happening?" She asked quietly as he grabbed her hand.

**"**Run!" they ran until a door stood in their way. The Doctor tried desperately to open it, but found that he couldn't. "Come on!" he yelled at the door.

**"**What, is it locked?" Donna asked him her hand resting on his shoulder.

**"**Jammed! The wood's warped!"

"Sonic it, use the thingy!" she said her hand reaching for his pocket, but he moved away and rammed the door, but to no avail.

**"**I can't, its wood!" he groaned in pain, rubbing his shoulder.

**"**What, it doesn't do wood?" she breathed.

**"**Hang on, hang on, if I can vibrate the molecules, fry the bindings, I can shatter line the interface..." Donna really care for all this fancy talk, especially when the darkness was only a few feet away.

**"**Oh, get out of the way!" she pushed him aside and kicked the door open. They ran into it, and slammed the door shut, using a book to bolt it.

**"**What is it?" Donna asked the Doctor as he crouched over a round object.

**"**Security camera. Switched itself off." He explained picking it up with his hands. He pulls out his glasses and starts to examine it. _The Doctor Sonics the security camera._ "Nice door skills, Donna." He commented.

**"**Yeah, well, you know, boyfriends..." she paused letting the depressing memory to resurface. "Sometimes you need the element of surprise." She wiped away the tears that had started to flow down her cheeks. The Doctor turned and looked at her sadly. He knew there were things that she had kept hidden from him. He turned back around; he'd ask her later when they were safe on the TARDIS. "What was that, what was after us? I mean, did we just run away from a power cut?"

**"**Possibly." He stated with a shrug.

**"**Are we safe here?" She cursed her self for letting the fear in her words show. The Doctor stood up and walked over to Donna, placing a reassuring hand on her arm.

**"**Course we're safe. There's a little shop." He said trying to lighten the mood. Donna smiled half heartedly. The Doctor went on to mess with the security camera. "Gotcha!" The cover of the security camera's lens opened.

Words ran across the screen. '_Stop. Please stop it!_' "Ooh, I'm sorry. I really am, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He gently placed it down. _"_It's alive."

**"**You said it was a security camera." Donna said stepping closer.

**"**It is. It's an alive one." More words flashed on the screen. '_Others are coming._'

**"**Others? What's it mean, 'others'?" Donna asked. The Doctor gave her no answer for he had none. So she walked to the Node in the room. It had a different face than the one earlier.

_"_Excuse me, what does it mean, 'others'?

**"**That's barely more than a speak your weight machine, it can't help you." The Doctor told her, he stuck his hand in his pockets and walked over.

**"**So why's it got a face?" she asked turning her attention away from the Node.

**"**This flesh aspect was donated by Mark Chambers on the occasion of his death." The Node said answering her question.

**"**It's a real face?" she gasped horrified.

**"**It has been actualized individually for you from the many facial aspects saved to our extensive flesh banks. Please enjoy." The Node stated.

**"**It chose me a dead face it thought I'd like? That statue's got a real dead person's face on it..." she stepped back, this was all too much.

**"**It's the 51st century, that's... basically like donating a park bench." He tried to make it seem easier on her, but he failed at that too. Lately he hasn't been doing a very good job succeeding.

**"**It's donating a face!" she exclaimed, walking even further back.

_"_No, wait, no!" He leaped back and grabbed Donna around the waist, smashing his body into hers, trying his best to prevent her from entering into a dark shadow behind her.

Donna felt a wave of dizziness pass over her. She looked up into his eyes and held his stare. They stayed like that until Donna came to realization of what the Doctor was doing. His hands were moving downward. She slapped his hands and stepped away.

_"_Oi! Hands!"

**"**The shadow, look." He pointed to it. She turned to look, there was nothing special about it, that she could see.

**"**What about it?"

"Count the shadows." He told her. She grunted in frustration.

**"O**ne. There, I counted it, one shadow." She said.

**"**Yeah... But what's casting it?" The Doctor looks up and sees that there was nothing that could make that shadow. "Oh! I'm thick! Look at me, I'm old and thick! Head's too full of stuff, I need a bigger head!"

_"What's that supposed to mean?" he didn't answer her. They turned and noticed that a light in the nearest corridor was blinking on in off. "_Power must be going."

**"**This place runs on fission cells. They'll out burn the sun."

**"**Then why is it dark?" She asked starting to get frightened again.

**"**It's not dark." Donna turned around and noticed that the shadow from earlier was now gone.

"Uh, Doctor." She out stretched a hand to reach him.

"Not now, I'm thinking."

_"_That shadow. It's gone." The Doctor turned around stunned. How was that possible? He looked at Donna, she was frightened beyond means. He had to keep her safe.

**"W**e need to get back to the TARDIS." He grabbed her hand and started to run, but she stopped.

**"**Why?"

**"**Because that shadow hasn't gone. It's moved."

**"**Reminder: the Library has been breached, others are coming. Reminder: the Library has been breached, others are coming. Reminder: the Library has been breached..." The Node announced.

_A door burst open, and six people in spacesuits entered the room. Their leader walked straight up to the Doctor. She switched her visor to transparent. She smiled at the Doctor._

**"**Hello Doctor." She extended her hand.

**"**Get out!" he told her.

**"**Doctor." Donna grabbed his arm.

**"**All of you, turn around, get back in your rocket and fly away! Tell your grandchildren you came to the Library and lived, they won't believe you." He told them moving closer to Donna. Donna looked at him oddly for a moment his sentence made no sense, but she shook her head and looked back at the group of people.

"Pop your helmets, everyone. We've got breathers." The Leader said. Everyone fallowed her order.

_"_How do you know they're not androids?" One of the females said.

**"**Cos I've dated androids. They're rubbish." The Leader said.

**"**Who is this? You said we were the only expedition, I paid for exclusives." A man hollered.

**"**I lied, I'm always lying. Bound to be others." She said.

**"**Miss Evangelista, I want to see the contracts." The man said again.

**"**You came through the north door, yeah? How was that, much damage?" She asked the Doctor and Donna.

**"**Please, just leave. I'm asking you seriously and properly, just lea... Hang on. Did you say expedition?" The Doctor squinted his eyes and scrunched his nose.

**"**My expedition, I funded it." The Man said again. Donna rolled her eyes and shifted so she had her hands on her hips. The Doctor smirked for a quick second, noticing Donna's hostility.

**"**Oh, you're not, are you? Tell me you're not archaeologists." The Doctor whined.

**"**Got a problem with archaeologists?" she smiled up at him. She wondered how far back she was in his and Donna's time line. She looked at her hand, hoping to get a hint of what was going on with them. She squinted her eyes, but she couldn't properly see them.

**"**I'm a time traveler. I point and laugh at archaeologists."

**"**Ah. Professor River Song, archaeologist." River said.

**"**River Song, lovely name. As you're leaving, and you're leaving now... you need to set up a quarantine beacon. Code-wall the planet, the whole planet. Nobody comes here, not ever again... not one living thing, not here, not ever." He watched as someone began to walk to the shadows. "Stop right there! What's your name?"

**"**Anita." She replied.

**"**Anita, stay out of the shadows. Not a foot, not a finger in the shadows till you're safely back in your ship. Goes for all of you. Stay in the light. Find a nice, bright spot and just stand. If you understand me, look very, very scared." They just stare at him blankly, but River just smiled.

_"_No, bit more scared than that." He said. One of the girls tried to look as if she was actually scared.

"OK, that will do for now. You, who are you?"

**"**Uh, Dave." He answered him.

**"**OK, Dave..." he said walking up to him and leading him to the door they entered from.

"Oh, well Other Dave, because that's Proper Dave the pilot, he was the first Dave, so when we..." Other Dave explained.

_"_Other Dave, the way you came, does it look the same as before?" The Doctor asked him.

**"**Yeah. Oh, it's a bit darker."

**"**How much darker?" The Doctor asked, his voice frantic.

**"**Oh, like I could see where we came through just like a moment ago. I can't now." Other Dave said pointing down the corridor.

"Seal up this door. We'll find another way out." The Doctor said walking away.

**"**We're not looking for a way out. Miss Evangelista?" The man said. A beautiful young girl walked up to Donna and the Doctor carrying a clipboard with some papers.

_"_I'm Mr. Lux's personal... everything. You need to sign these contracts agreeing that your individual experience inside the Library are the intellectual property of the Felman Lux Corporation." Evangelista sated.

**"**Right, give it here." The Doctor smiled taking one of the papers.

**"**Yeah, lovely. Thanks." Donna took one as well. In sync they tore the papers up, letting them fall to the ground.

_"_My family built this Library. I have rights." Mr. Lux said.

**"**You have a mouth that won't stop." River said to him. She turned to the Doctor._ "_You think there's danger here?"

**"**Something came to this Library and killed everything in it, killed a whole world. Danger? Could be." He said quite sarcastically. Donna smiled.

**"**That was 100 years ago. The Library's been silent for 100 years. Whatever came here is long dead." River told him.

**"**Bet your life?" The Doctor asked her.

**"**Always." River Song smiled at him. Mr. Lux turned to see Other Dave sealing the door.

**"**What are you doing?" Mr. Lux half yelled.

**"**He said seal the door." Other Dave answered him.

**"**Torch!" the Doctor said as he walked over to Mr. Lux and snatched it.

_"_You're taking orders from him?" Mr. Lux asked surprised.

**"**Spooky, isn't it?" Donna bit her bottom lip, to stop herself from laughing. She watches as the Doctor walks to the other side of the room, looking around.

_"_Almost every species in the universe has an irrational fear of the dark. But they're wrong. Cos it's not irrational. It's Vashta Nerada." The Doctor explained.

**"**What's Vashta Nerada?" Donna asked him, walking up next to him.

**"**It's what's in the dark. It's what's always in the dark." He grabs Donna's hand and leads her back to the group. He doesn't want her anywhere near the shadows. "Lights! That's what we need, lights. You got lights?"

**"**What for?" River asked.

**"**Form a circle, safe area, big as you can, lights pointing out." He explained looking at everyone.

**"**Oi! Do as he says." River Song orders everyone.

"You're not seriously listening to this man?" Mr. Lux asked in disbelief.

**"**Apparently, I am. Anita, unpack the lights. Other Dave, make sure the door's secure, then help Anita. Mr. Lux, put your helmet back on, block the visor. Proper Dave, find an active terminal. I want you to access the Library database, see what you can find about what happened here a hundred years ago. Pretty Boy, you're with me. Step into my office."

River Song stepped into an information terminal.

_"_Professor Song, why am I the only one wearing my helmet?" Mr. Lux asked.

**"**I don't fancy you." She grinned. The Doctor and Donna walk over to Proper Dave.

_"_I can probably help you." The Doctor said as he and Donna studied his movements.

**"**Pretty Boy, with me I said."

**"**Oh, I'm Pretty Boy?" the Doctor said dumbfounded.

**"**Yes. Ooh, that came out a bit quick!" Donna said and blushed a little afterwards.

**"**Pretty?"

**"**Meh." The Doctor walked over to River Song.

"Don't let your shadows cross! Seriously, don't even let them touch. Any of them could be infected." He informed the rest of the group while walking.

**"**How can a shadow be infected?" Other Dave asked.

Donna stood for a moment watching the Doctor disappear with River Song. An unusual feeling ran through her blood. While Donna tried to figure out what the feeling was she saw, Miss. Evangelista talking to Other Dave and Anita. Donna started to walk over only being able to hear the last part of the discussion.

**"**No, really, we're OK." Other Dave said shoving her away.

**"**Couldn't she help?" Donna asked.

**"**Trust me. I just spent four days on a ship with that woman. She's..." he looked like he was in thought, trying to be nice.

**"**Couldn't tell the difference between the escape pod and the bathroom. We had to go back for her. Twice." Anita chuckled.

_Everyone was interrupted by a noise. It was an alarm but rather strange._

**"**Sorry, that was me. Trying to get through into the security protocols, I seem to have set something off. What is that? Is that an alarm?" Proper Dave announced.

**"**Doctor? Doctor, that sounds like..." Donna started, but was caught off by the Doctor.

**"**It is. It's a phone!" he smirked for an unfathomable reason.

**"**I'm trying to call up the data core, but it's not responding. Just that noise." Proper Dave told him, as the Doctor appeared behind him.

**"**But it's a phone!" Donna said walking over to the both of them fallowed by the others.

**"**Let me try something." The Doctor said placing his glasses on his face. The Terminal's screen had 'ACCESS DENIED' written all over it. "OK, doesn't like that, let's try something else." Finally something appeared to be working.

**"**OK, here it comes." The Doctor said feeling Donna touch his back, he sighed in relief. A young girl appeared on the screen. "Hello?"

**"**Hello. Are you in my television?" she asked, The Doctor turned and looked around for a moment.

**"**Well, no, I'm, I'm... sort of in space. I, I was trying to call up the data core of a triple-grid security processor." He said, confused.

**"**Would you like to speak to my dad?"

**"**Dad or your mum, that'd be lovely." He agreed.

**"**I know you! You were in my Library."

**"**_Your_ Library?" The Doctor asked her. How was this her library?

**"**The Library's never been on the television before. What have you done?"

**"**Ah, I... I just rerouted the interface..." the connection broke and the girl disappeared.

_"_What happened, who was that?" River Song asked. The 'ACCESS DENIED' symbol appeared again. The Doctor tried to push some keys again, but couldn't get through. He ran through the crowd and went to the terminal by River Song's workplace.

_"_I need another terminal. Keep working on those lights, we need those lights!' The Doctor shouted.

**"**You heard him, people, let there be light." River told everyone. _Books started to fly off the Library shelves._

**"**What's that? I didn't do that, did you do that?" the Doctor called out to Proper Dave.

**"**Not me." Proper Dave answered.

"What's CAL?" finally the books stopped flying and Donna walked over to Miss Evangelista.

_"_You're all right?" Donna asked placing a calm hand on her shoulder.

**'**What's that? What's happening?" she asked, clearly stressed out.

**"**I don't know." Mr. Lux hollered at her. Donna gave him a look to kill, and he backed down.

**"**Oh, thanks for... you know... offering to help with the lights." Donna smiled.

**"**They don't want me. They think I'm stupid, cos I'm pretty." She sniffed.

**"**Course they don't, nobody thinks that."

**"**No, they're right though. I'm a moron, me. My dad said I have the IQ of plankton, and I was pleased."

**"**See, that's funny." Donna chuckled.

**"**No... no, I, I really was pleased. Is that funny?"

**"**No, no." She patted Miss. Evangelista's shoulder. A few moments later, and books once again started to fly off of the wall.

**"**What's causing that? Is it the little girl?" River Song shouted from her slouched position.

**"**But who is the little girl? What's she got to do with this place?" he said running a hand through his hair, casting Donna an occasional glance to make sure she was okay. "How does the data core work? What's the principle? What's CAL?"

**"**Ask Mr. Lux." River Song suggested standing upright.

"CAL, what is it?" The Doctor said grasping his shoulders.

**"**Sorry. You didn't sign your personal experience contracts." He said slowly taking the Doctors hands off of him.

**"**Mr. Lux, right now, you're in more danger than you've ever been in your whole life. And you're protecting a patent?"

"I'm protecting my family's pride."

**"**Well, funny thing, Mr. Lux, I don't want to see everyone in this room dead because some idiot thinks his pride is more important." The Doctor said irritated as hell. Donna chuckled under her breath. Mr. Lux was getting to him alright.

**"**Then why don't you sign his contract? I didn't either. I'm getting worse than you." River said smiling at the Doctor. Donna scowled and turned away. Why was she getting so jealous? She felt a twinge of pain circle through her arm.

**"**Okay, okay, okay. Let's start at the beginning. What happened here? On the actual day, a hundred years ago, what physically happened?" The Doctor asked River Song, not noticing Donna's pain.

**"**There was a message from the Library. Just one. 'The lights are going out'. Then the computer sealed the planet, and there was nothing for a hundred years." She answered. Everyone gathered in a small group.

**"**It's taken three generations of my family just to decode the seals and get back in." Mr. Lux told him. Donna could feel the pain growing more intense, but she pushed it to the back of her mind.

**"**Um... excuse me..." Miss Evangelista said trying to get someone's attention.

**"**Not just now." Mr. Lux hushed her and pushed her away.

**"**There was one other thing in the last message..." River said before being interrupted by Mr. Lux.

**"**That's confidential." He spat.

**"**I trust this man. With my life, with everything." River whispered to him.

**"**You've only just met him!" he harshly replied.

**"**No, he's only just met me." Donna groaned in agony. The pain started to burn and she could barely breathe.

**"**Um. This might be important actually..." Miss Evangelista said once again.

**"**In a moment!" Mr. Lux hollered. Donna walked up to the Doctor about to grab his shoulder, but he walked over to River Song, leaving her hand hanging in the air.

**"**This is a data extract that came with the message." She showed the Doctor a message on a PDA.

"4022 saved. No survivors." He said.

**"**4022, that's the exact number of people who were in the Library when the planet was sealed." River looked up into his eyes.

**"**But how can 4022 people have been saved if there were no survivors?" Donna asked starting to feel the pain in her arm dissipate. _Maybe it was nothing._ She thought.

**"**That's what we're here to find out." River smiled at her.

**"**And so far, what we haven't found are any bodies." Mr. Lux grumbled. The Doctor turned to see people starting to back into the dark.

**"**Everybody, careful! Stay in the light."

**"**You keep saying that. I don't see the point!" Proper Dave said shrugging. A scream sounded throughout the area.

**"**Who screamed?" The Doctor asked looking around.

**"**Miss Evangelista." Proper Dave answered in a hush voice.

**"**Where is she?" Donna asked. The pain had completely vanished. They walked into a dark room. everyone glanced a skeleton sitting in a chair.

**"**Miss Evangelista, please state your current..." _They are all shocked to hear River's voice echo from the direction of the skeleton._ "Please state your current..." she stops once again and whispers the last word, terrified by the realization. "...position."

_She pulled out a piece of the spacesuit's collar from behind the skeleton's back. The green lights of the communicator were still on._ "It's her. It's Miss Evangelista." River Song breathed.

**"**We heard her scream a few seconds ago. What could do that to a person in a few seconds?" Anita asked.

**"**It took a lot less than a few seconds." The Doctor whispered walking over to Donna.

**"**What did?"

**"**_Hello?" the communicator spoke. It sounded like Miss Evangelista._

**"**Um, I'm sorry everyone, um, this isn't going to be pleasant. She's ghosting." Rivers voice cracked.

**"**She's what?" Donna herself had tears sting her eyes.

**"**_Hello, excuse me? I - I'm sorry, hello? Excuse me?" Miss Evangelista asked._

**"**That's... That's her, that's Miss Evangelista!" Donna said in horror. She backed into the Doctor, his hand hiding hers.

**"**I don't want to sound horrible, but couldn't we just... you know?" Other Dave asked repulsed by his own desire.

**"**This is her last moment... no, we can't. A little respect, thank you." She barked. No way was she going to disrespect her like that! No way!

**"**_Sorry, where am I? Excuse me?" Miss Evangelista spoke again. Donna pushed herself farther away from the skeleton. The pain in her arm started to flare again and this time the Doctor noticed._

**"**But that's Miss Evangelista." Donna croaked. A few tears slid down her face.

**"**It's a data ghost, she'll be gone in a moment." She told Donna. She spoke into her communicator. "Miss Evangelista, you're fine, just relax. We'll be with you presently."

**"**What's a data ghost?" she asked the Doctor he looked down at her sadly.

**"**There's a neural relay in the communicator, lets you send thought mails. That's it there, those green lights. Sometimes it can hold an impression of a living consciousness for a short time after death. Like an after image." He explained.

**"**My grandfather lasted a day. Kept talking about his shoelaces." Anita let out a dry chuckle.

**"**She's in there!" Donna protested, unwilling to agree that she was dead.

**"**_I can't see, I can't... Where am I?" Evangelista mumbled to no one in particular._

**"**She's just brain waves now. The pattern won't hold for long." Proper Dave told Donna, silently begging her to stop asking questions.

**"**She's conscious! She's thinking." Donna shouted she felt the Doctor squeeze her hand. She looked up and frowned. The pain in her arm caused a small whimper. The Doctor looked at her concerned.

**"**_I can't see, I can't... I don't know what I'm thinking." Evangelista told them._

**"**She's a footprint on the beach. And the tide's coming in." The Doctor frowned sadly, his words betraying him.

**"**_Where's that woman? The nice woman... is she there?" She asked River._

**"**What woman?" Mr. Lux asked looking at everyone.

**"**She means... I think, she means me." Donna told them.

**"**_Is she there? The nice woman?"_

**"**Yeah, she's here, hang on.' River looked at Donna. "Go ahead. She can hear you."

**"**_Hello? Are you there?" Donna shook her head in horror. The Doctor leaned into Donna and whispered in her ear._

_"_Help her."

**"**She's dead." Donna stuttered.

**"**Yeah. Help her." He let go of Donna's hand she walked closer the skeleton.

**"**_Hello? Is that the nice woman?"_

**"**Yeah. Hello. Yeah, I'm, I'm... I'm here. You OK?" Dona said her voice breaking. She couldn't do this. Her knees grew weak and shaky.

**"**_What I said before, about being stupid. Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh."_

**"**Course I won't. Course I won't tell them.' Donna shook her head forcing a small smile, as if Evangelista could see her.

**"**_Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh..." Evangelista repeated._

**"**I won't tell them. I said I won't." Donna stared at the Skeleton sadly. Everyone felt guilt rush through them.

**"**_Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh."_

**"**I'm not going to tell them." Donna looked at River questioningly. _The lights of the neural relay were now blinking._

**"**_Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh."_

**"**She's looping now. The pattern's degrading." River stated.

**"**_I can't think, I...don't know, I... I... I... Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream." Miss Evangelista kept repeating ice cream over and over. _

_Donna's lips parted slightly and she collapsed to the ground. She stared at the skeleton as if it was death himself, silent tear streaking her face. The Doctor kneeled down took her in his arms._

_"_Does anybody mind if I...?" River asked stepping close to skeleton and she turned off the relay.

_"_That was... that was horrible. That was the most horrible thing I've ever seen." The Doctor rubbed her back and soon he helped her up.

_"_No. It's just a freak of technology. But whatever did this to her, whatever killed her... I'd like a word with that."

**"**I'll introduce you." The Doctor said rushing off. They all fallowed besides Donna. Pain burned into her arm and fell to her knees. She bit her bottom lip to keep from shouting out. What was wrong with her arm? Could it still be from the Vespiform poison? She regained her composure and reentered the main room with everybody else.

Donna walked up and stood next to River Song. The Doctor was on the floor using his sonic to find something.

**"**You travel with him, don't you? The Doctor, you travel with him." River pointed out.

**"**What of it?" Donna asked her defensively. **"**You know him, don't you?"

**"**Oh, God, do I know that man and you. We go way back, that man, you, and me. Just not this far back." Donna looked at her as if she was speaking in different tongues.

**"**I'm sorry, what?"

**"**You haven't met me yet. This is the Doctor and you in the days before you knew me."

**"**What are you talking about? Are you just talking rubbish? Do you know us or don't you?"

"Donna! Quiet! I'm working." The Doctor shouted over his shoulder.

**"**Sorry!" she apologized.

**"**I do know you two. But in the future. Your personal future." Donna was about to ask another question when her arm started to fire up once again. River looked at her concerned.

**"**OK, we've got a live one! That's not darkness down those tunnels, this is not a shadow. It's a swarm. A man-eating swarm." The Doctor shouted at everybody. He tossed a chicken leg into the shadows. When it reaches the ground all that is left it bone.

_"_The piranhas of the air, the Vashta Nerada. Literally 'the shadows that melt the flesh'. Most planets have them, but usually in small clusters. I've never seen an infestation on this scale, or this aggressive."

**"**What d'you mean, most planets? Not Earth?" Donna asked walking closer to him.

**"**Mmmm, Earth, and a billion other worlds. Where there's meat, there's Vashta Nerada. You can see them sometimes, if you look. The dust in sunbeams."

**"**If they were on Earth, we'd know." Donna told him.

**"**Nah, normally they live on road kill. But sometimes people go missing. Not everyone comes back out of the dark." He looked up at her. "What's wrong with your arm?" he asked her. She opened her mouth, but River spoke up.

**"**Every shadow?" she asked.

**"**No. But any shadow." The Doctor told her standing up.

**"**So what do we do?" River asked him. He left Donna once again to talk to River. She was honestly starting to doubt what the Doctor had told her, when she was painting her room. and if that kiss they shared actually meant something.

**"**Daleks - aim for the eyestalk. Sontarans - back of the neck. Vashta Nerada... Run! Just run." The Doctor explained. He caught sight of Donna, she looked terribly sad and in pain. She was beginning to worry him. This was not normal behavior for her.

**"**Run? Run where?" River asked.

**"**This is an index point. There must be an exit teleport somewhere." The Doctor turned and looked at Mr. Lux.

**"**Don't look at me, I haven't memorized the schematics!" he huffed.

**"**Doctor, the little shop! They always make you go through the little shop on the way out so they can sell you stuff." Donna spoke through gritted teeth.

**"**You're right! Brilliant! That's why I like the little shop!" he exclaimed. Proper Dave began to leave.

**"**OK, let's move it!" The Doctor spotted something.

_"_Actually, Proper Dave, could you stay where you are for a moment?" He told him. Proper Dave stopped and looked at the Doctor strangely.

**"**Why?"

**"**I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry. But you've got two shadows." The Doctor pointed to them. Everyone looked down in horror at Proper Dave's shadows. "It's how they hunt; they latch on to a food source and keep it fresh."

**"**What do I do?" he asked franticly.

**"**You stay absolutely still. Like there's a wasp in the room, like there's a million wasps."

**"**We're not leaving you, Dave." River told him reassuringly.

**"**Course we're not leaving. Where's your helmet? Don't point, just tell me." The Doctor instructed him. Proper Dave told him, and Anita handed the Doctor his helmet. "Don't cross his shadow!' he took the helmet from Anita. _"_Thanks. Now, the rest of you, helmets back on and sealed up. We'll need everything we've got."

_"_But, Doctor, we haven't got any helmets." Donna pointed out. Donna rested her hand on the cuts she had received from the Vespiform. Her fingers traced the carefully wrapped gauze.

**"**Yeah, but we're safe anyway." She looked up at him.

"How are we safe?"

**"**We're not, that was a clever lie to shut you up. Professor, anything I can do with the suit?" Donna looked at him hurt. Her eyes fell upon the floor. Tears threatened to spill.

She was becoming to weak around the Doctor! What happened to the strong independent Donna? She shook her head violently as The Doctor carried other conversations.

She needed to toughen up. She was letting her defensives' down too easily. Her hand wiped away a single tear. She looked up and watched at the Doctor worked on the others.

She replayed the events from her room.

"_Don't say that. Don't you ever say that! Yes, Jenny's dead, because she was protecting you, but that doesn't mean it's your fault. Donna I am glade that you're dim sometimes, it makes things fun; and if you weren't against me, I would've even gotten to know her; and as for us never meeting, I'd be dead. Plain and simple. Donna don't you see? You're my anchor. If it was not for you, who knows how or where I might be. _

_Donna I love you!" he looked deep into her watery eyes before pulling her into a kiss._

_ Donnas' eyes remained frozen wide for a few moments before she closed them, kissing back. When they broke for air he leaned his forehead against hers. _

Was it just a heat of the moment thing? She looked at him again. It must have been. How could anyone love her? Her ex-fiancé made that perfectly clear. The Doctor grabbed her hand and tugged her away.

**"**With me, come on!" they ran into the shop. Donna's arm felt like a thousand deaths! She could barely see strait. "Right, stand there in the middle. It's a teleport. Stand in the middle. Can't send the others, TARDIS won't recognize them."

**"**What are you doing?" she asked through the pain. Her eyes were growing hazy. The Doctor was fiddling with buttons not looking at her. He didn't even notice when Donna cried out in pain.

**"**You don't have a suit, you're not safe!"

**"**You don't have a suit, so you're in just as much danger as I am and I'm not leaving..."

**"**Donna! Let me explain." He pushed a lever and teleports Donna away.

***  
_Donna started to appear inside the TARDIS, her whole body trembling with pain, but before the process could finish she disappeared again with a scream._

***  
**"**Where did it go?" The Doctor asked noticing that proper Dave's second shadow had disappeared.

**"**It's just gone. I... I looked round, one shadow. See." He moved a little.

**'**Does that mean we can leave? I don't want to hang around here." River asked looking around. "Where's Donna?"

**"**I don't know why we're still here. We can leave him, can't we? I mean, no offence..." Mr. Lux grumbled

**"**Shut up, Mr. Lux!" River and the Doctor shouted together.

**"Sent her to the TARDIS. **Did you feel anything? Like an energy transfer? Anything at all?" He looked at Proper Dave questionably.

**"**No, no, but, look, it's, it's gone." He said turning around in a slow circle.

_"_Stop there, stop, stop, stop there, stop moving! They're never just gone. And they never give up." The Doctor kneeled and started to investigate the shadows with his sonic screwdriver. "Well, this one's benign."

**"**Hey, who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave asked.

**"**No-one, they're fine."

**"**No, seriously, turn them back on!" His voice shook with fear.

**"**They are on." River confirmed.

**"**I can't see a ruddy thing." Dave said.

**"**Dave, turn round." The Doctor spoke clearly and calmly, despite the fear in his stomach. He hoped Donna was safe in bed. Although knowing her she fuming over him leaving her.

_Proper Dave turned back to the group slowly, his face invisible in the darkness of the helmet._ **"**What's going on? Why can't I see? Is the power gone, are we safe here?" he asked.

**"**Dave, I want you stay still, absolutely still." Proper Dave suddenly stiffens. _"_Dave, Dave? Dave, can you hear me, are you all right? Talk to me, Dave."

**"**I'm fine, I'm OK, I'm... I'm fine." He stated emotionless.

**"**I want you to stay still, absolutely still." The Doctor instructed him.

**"**I'm fine, I'm OK, I'm, I'm fine. I can't... Why can't I? I... I can't... Why can't I? I... I can't... Why can't I? I..." The lights on his communicator were blinking.

_"_He's gone. He's ghosting." River announced sadly.

**"**Then why is he still standing?" Mr. Lux asked.

**"**Hey! Who turned out the lights? Hey! Who turned out the lights?" the Doctor moved closer to him even though River told him not to.

_"_Dave, can you hear me?" The Doctor asks. He looks curiously into the helmet.

**"**Hey! Who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave shouted again. He grabbed the Doctor and started to choke him. Proper Dave's helmet lit up and a skeleton fell against the visor. "Who turned out the lights? Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

**"**Excuse me!" she shouted. She used her sonic to stun him and free the Doctor.

_"_Back from it, get back, right back!" The Doctor coughed. They all backed away and the skeleton started towards it in an awkward manor. River smirked.

_"_Doesn't move very fast does it?" she jeered.

**"**It's a swarm in a suit. But it's learning." He told her.

_"_What do we do? Where do we go?" Mr. Lux asked his eyes flickering between the Doctor and River Song.

**"**See that wall behind you? Duck!" River uses her sonic blaster to make a hole in the wall.

_"_Squareness gun!" the Doctor shouted in surprise. What was with this woman?

**"**Everybody out. Go, go, go! Move it, move, move! Move it, move, move!" River ordered. They all end up in a shadowy hall between two giant book shelves similar to the one the Doctor and Donna were in earlier. "You said not every shadow."

**"**But any shadow!" he shouted back at her.

**"**Hey! Who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave said entering the hall.

**"**Run!" River said to him taking her hand in his. The Doctor almost immediately lets go of her and runs on his own. It didn't feel right to hold someone else's hand other than Donna's.

_********_  
_The Doctor is fiddling on a lamp with the sonic; River was near him while the rest of the group just sat there panting._

**"**Trying to boost the power. Light doesn't stop them, but it slows them down." The Doctor explained.

**"**So, what's the plan? Do we have a plan?" River asks. She points her sonic at the lamp too, to try to help with the power.

_"_Your screwdriver... looks exactly like mine."

**"**Yeah. But its not." She replied. "Mum gave it to me right before I came here. Her and Dad always used to let me play with theirs."

**"**Who are you?"

**"**What's the plan?" She asked him again. She really didn't feel like explaining everything, and if she did, her dad would kill her for it. As he always said, 'Spoilers.'

**"**I teleported Donna back to the TARDIS. If we don't get back there in less than five hours, emergency program one will activate." He explained. His mind flickered to Donna. He missed her already. He hoped she would understand.

**"**Take her home, yeah." _She turned to the group. "_We need to get a shift on."

The Doctor looked at his sonic for a split second ad then looks again. His eyes darkened and he became suddenly concerned.

_"_She's not there. I should've received a signal, the console signals me if there's a teleport breach." He places the Sonic to his ear, but nothing. _No, no, no! _

**"**Well, maybe the co-ordinates have slipped. The equipment here's ancient." River said trying to sound helpful. The Doctor ran to a nearby Node.

_"_Donna Noble. There's a Donna Noble somewhere in this Library. Do you have the software to locate her position?" he asked. _Please be safe. PLEASE!_ The Node turned around to face the Doctor.

Horror rushed through his veins as Donna's face rested before him. "Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved." The Node said.

**"**Donna!" he breathed, his eyes brimming with tears. He'd lost her. He was numb. He didn't care where he was or what was happening, all he thought about was how he'd never get to tell her how he truly felt again, how they would never get to fulfill the future he had seen and visited so many times.

"Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved." The Node repeated.

**"**How can it be Donna? How's that possible?" River asked. The Doctor ignored her; his finger went and gently touched the Node/Donna's cheek. _This can't be happening!_ His mind screamed. Never in his whole life time has he felt so, so broken, lost. NEVER!

**"**Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved." The Node kept repeating.

**"**Oh, Donna!" He breathed. He closed his and brought his shaky hands to his sides. Never have they felt so empty.

**"**Hey! Who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave's voice echoed through the hall as he approached the group.

_"_Doctor!" River screamed, but he kept his gaze on Donna's face.

**"**Donna Noble has been saved." The Node's voice rang in his head. How could he let her down like this?

**"**Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

**"**Donna Noble has left the Library."

**"**Doctor, we've got to go, now!" she said trying to concentrate. So many voices sounded in the hall. She grabbed the Doctors arm and pulled him away from the Node and after the rest of the group.

What was he supposed to do now? He tried to focus on Donna, but all he could hear was Proper Dave and that Node! _"__Donna Noble has been saved." _**_"_**_Hey! Who turned out the lights?" _**_"_**_Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved." _**_"_**_Hey! Who turned out the lights?" _**_"_**_Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved." _**_"_**_Hey! Who turned out the lights?" _**_"_**_Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved." _**_"_**_Hey! Who turned out the lights?" _**_"_**_Donna Noble has left the Library."_

They had reached a dead end. The Doctor remained in a trance like state while _the people were now cornered: skeleton/Dave was coming from one end of the hall and shadows moving closer from the other end._

**"**Doctor, what are we gonna do?" he didn't answer, he just kept mumbling Donnas name over and Over again.

**"**Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

**"**Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved."

**"**Hey! Who turned out the lights?" River used the _squareness gun again to place another hole in the wall._

_"_This way, quickly, move!" River told everyone.

**"**Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

***  
_River used the sonic blaster to open a way to another room._ "OK, we've got a clear spot. In, in, in! Right in the centre, in the middle of the light, quickly! Don't let your shadows cross. Doctor..."

**"**I'm doing it." He starts to check the shadows with his sonic.

_"_There's no lights here. Sunset's coming, we can't stay long. Have you found a live one?" River asked.

**"**Maybe, it's getting harder to tell." He shakes the sonic screwdriver. "What's wrong with you?" he said referring to the screwdriver.

**"**We're gonna need a chicken leg. Who's got a chicken leg?" River asks as Other Dave hands her one._ "_Thanks, Oth-Dave." She throws it into the shadows and watches as its stripped to the bone. "OK... OK, we've got a hot one. Watch your feet." She told everyone.

**"**They won't attack until there are enough of them, but they've got our scent now, they're coming." He told her over his shoulder.

"Who is he? You haven't even told us. You just expect us to trust him." Other Dave asks her.

**"**He's the Doctor."

**"**And who is the Doctor?" Mr. Lux asked.

**"**The only story you'll ever tell - if you survive him."

**"**You say he's your friend, but he doesn't even know who you are." Anita pips in.

**"**Listen, all you need to know is this... I'd trust that man to the end of the universe. And actually, we've been."

**"**He doesn't act like he trusts you." Anita pointed out.

**"**Yeah, there's a tiny problem. He hasn't met me yet." River told her, her voice harsh and cold. She walked over to the Doctor who fiddling with his sonic. "What's wrong with it?"

**"**There's a signal coming from somewhere, interfering with it."

**"**Then use the red settings."

**"**It doesn't have a red setting." He looked up at her oddly.

**"**Well, use the dampers."

**"**It doesn't have dampers!"

**"**It will one day." She throws him her sonic.

_"_So some time in the future, your Mum gives you a screwdriver that's identical to mine."

**"**Yeah."

**"How does that happen**?"

**"**I didn't pluck it from her-your cold dead hands, if that's what you're worried about."

**"**And I know that because...?"

**"**Listen to me. You've lost your girlfriend, you're angry, I understand. But you need to be less emotional, Doctor. Right now..."

**"**Less em... I'm not emotional!" he spat. His fists were clenched in fits of rage and he gritted his teeth.

**"**There are five people in this room still alive, focus on that."

**"**Who are you?"

**"**Oh, for heaven's sake! Look at the pair of you! We're all gonna die right here, and you're just squabbling like an old married couple." Mr. Lux shouted from the other side of the room.

**"**Doctor... one day I'm going to be someone that you trust completely, but I can't wait for you to find that out. So I'm going to prove it to you. And I'm sorry. I'm really very sorry." She whispered something in his ear, something that stuns him completely.

_"_Are we good? Doctor... are we good?"

**"**Yeah... Yeah, we're good."

**"**Good." She walked back to the rest of the group. After a few seconds the Doctor joined them.

_"_Know what's interesting about my screwdriver? Very hard to interfere with, practically nothing's strong enough... Well, some hairdryers, but I'm working on that. So there is a very strong signal coming from somewhere, and it wasn't there before, so what's new, what's changed?" They all just look at each other. "Come on! What's new? What's different?"

**"**I dunno, nothing. It's getting dark." Other Dave stated.

**"**It's a screwdriver, it works in the dark." He told him. He looked up at the Darkening sky and notices the moon. For a second Donna's face appears, like a ghost, overlaying the moon. _"_Moon rise... Tell me about the moon. What's there?"

**'**It's not real, it was built as part of the Library. It's just a doctor moon." Mr. Lux explained to him. The Doctor looked at him confused.

**"**What's a doctor moon?" The Doctor asked.

**"**A virus checker. It supports and maintains the main computer at the core of the planet." Mr. Lux told him. The Doctor turned on his sonic.

_"_Well, it's still active, it's signaling, look. Someone somewhere in this Library is alive and communicating with the moon, or possibly alive and drying their hair. No, the signal's definitely coming from the moon. I'm blocking it, but it's trying to break through..."

All of the sudden, Donna's fuzzy image appears in the Library.

_"_Doctor!" River called him. The Doctor looked up to see Donna his hearts leap with joy.

**"**Donna!" He called to her, but she answer. He tried something and the image became clearer. He lowered is sonic and it the image played as a silent movie before them.

Donna stood in room, to what the Doctor made out as the TARDIS. She was wearing different cloths. She was on her knees, and what appeared to be coughing. Flames spread through the TARDIS.

"Doctor what is this?" River asked him. The Doctor shook his head.

"I don't know."

Donna's crawling on the floor, the light of the TARDIS exploding. And then he sees his hand. It bubbling and he sees Donna reaching for it, but then the image fades.

_"_Doctor, what was that?" River asked him.

**"**Hold on, hold on, hold on. I'm trying to find the wavelength. Ah, I'm being blocked." The Doctor said playing with his screwdriver.

**"**Professor?" Anita said scared.

**"**Just a moment." River said to her. Her attention was back to the Doctor.

**"**It's important. I have two shadows..." Anita stated. Everyone turned and looked at her.

**"**OK. Helmets on, everyone. Anita, I'll get yours." River said walking over to her helmet.

**"**It didn't do Proper Dave any good." Anita choked back a dry sob.

**"**Just keep it together, OK?" River crooned.

**"**Keeping it together, I'm only crying. I'm about to die, it's not an overreaction." She said, sarcasm seeping through her teeth. River placed Anita's helmet on.

_"_Hang on." The Doctor said walking over to Anita. He Sonics the helmet to make the visor dark.

_"_Oh, God, they've got inside." River pulled back in shock.

**"**No, no, no, I just tinted her visor. Maybe they'll think they're already in there, leave her alone." He explained.

"D'you think they can be fooled like that?" River asked him. He looked at her.

**"**Maybe. I don't know. It's a swarm, it's not like we chat."

**"**Can you still see in there?" Other Dave asked Anita.

**"**Just about." She answered.

**"**Just, just, just... stay back. Professor, a quick word, please." They walked away.

**"**What?" River asked, leaning close to the Doctor.

**"**Down here." The Doctor pointed to the floor. They both crouched down.

_"_What is it?"

**"**Like you said, there are five people still alive in this room." he said in a lower voice.

**"**Yeah, so?" River shrugged.

**"**So... why are there six?" the five of them turn around, they see another person in a spacesuit standing in the background.

_"_Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

**"**Run!" the Doctor shouted. Everyone ran out of the room, with Dave chasing them.

_"_Hey! Who turned out the lights? Hey! Who turned out the lights? Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

_The group was running through a corridor connecting two high buildings. The Doctor stopped in the middle._

**"**Professor, go ahead, find a safe spot." He ushered her on.

**"**It's a carnivorous swarm in a suit, you can't reason with it." She shook her head lightly.

**"**Five minutes." He pleaded with her. She sighed heavily.

**"**Other Dave, stay with him, pull him out when he's too stupid to live. Two minutes, Doctor." River, Anita, and Mr. Lux' leavening the Doctor, Proper Dave, and Other Dave.

_"_Hey! Who turned out the lights?" The Doctor took a step closer to him/it.

_"_You hear that? Those words? That is the very last thought of the man who wore that suit before you climbed inside it and stripped his flesh. That's a man's soul trapped inside a neural relay, going round and round forever. Now, if you don't have the decency to let him go, how about this? Use him. Talk to me. It's easy, neural relay. Just point and think. Use him, talk to me."

**"**Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

**"**The Vashta Nerada live on all the worlds in this system, but you hunt in forests. What are you doing in a library?" The Doctor asked them.

**"**We should go. Doctor!" Other Dave called to him. The Doctor held up a finger.

**"**In a minute. You came to the Library to hunt, why? Just tell me why?"

"We...did... not."

**"**Oh, hello."

**"**We did not."

**"**Take it easy, you'll get the hang of it. Did not what?"

**"**We... did not... come... here."

**"**Well, of course you did, of course you came here."

**"**We come from here."

**"**From here?" The Doctor asked. What did they mean by that?

**"**We hatched here."

**"**But you hatch from trees, from spores in trees." He told them.

**"**These are our forests."

**"**You're nowhere near a forest, look around you."

**"**These are our forests."

**"**You're not in a forest, you're in a library. There are no trees in a... library." Realization dawned on the Doctor.

**"**We should go. Doctor!" Other Dave called again.

**"**Books. You came in the books. Microspores in a million million books."

**"**We should go. Doctor!" other Dave repeated.

**"**Oh, look at that." The Doctor looks out at the endless city of bookshelves. "The forests of the Vashta Nerada, pulped and printed and bound. A million, million books, hatching shadows."

**"**We should go. Doctor!" The Doctor looked at Other Dave. He was repeating the same words.

_"_Oh Dave! Oh, Dave, I'm so sorry." He apologizes. The lights on other Dave's neural relay were blinking. A skull appeared inside of his helmet. The two skeletons are closing in on the Doctor.

_"_Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

**"**We should go. Doctor!"

**"**Thing about me, I'm stupid, I talk too much, always babbling on, this gob doesn't stop for anything. Wanna know the only reason I'm still alive? Always stay near the door."

_He pointed the sonic to the floor, opening up a trap door and he disappeared. The Doctor did not fall down. He was climbing under the corridor clinging to some metal structures, his sonic in mouth._

_"_Spoilers! Nobody can open a TARDIS by snapping their fingers. It doesn't work like that." He told River, overhearing her previous conversation.

**"**It does for the Doctor."

**"**I _am_ the Doctor!"

**"**Yeah. Some day." River said under her breath. The Doctor walked over to Anita.

_"_How are you doing?" he asked her.

**"**Where's Other Dave?" River asked looking around.

**"**Not coming, sorry." He answered her never looking away from Anita.

**"**Well, if they've taken him, why haven't they gotten me yet?" she asked.

**"**I don't know." He answered her truthfully. He looked down to see that Anita has two shadows.

_"_Maybe your visor's making a difference." He said.

**"**It's making a difference all right. No-one's ever going to see my face again.' Anita sad sadly.

**"**Can I get you anything?" he asked her.

**"**An old age would be nice. Anything you can do?"

**"**I'm all over it."

**'**Doctor... When we first met you, you didn't trust Professor Song. And then she whispered a word in your ear, and you did. My life so far... I could do with a word like that. What did she say? Give a dead girl a break. Your secrets are safe with me."

**"**Safe..." he repeated. Suddenly he realized something.

_"_What?" Anita asked.

**"**Safe. You don't say saved, nobody says saved, you say safe. The data fragment! What did it say?"

"4,022 people saved. No survivors." Mr. Lux told him. River song looked at him oddly.

**"**Doctor?" she asked.

"Nobody says saved, nutters say saved, you say safe. But you see, it didn't mean safe, it meant... it literally meant... saved!" The Doctor ran over to an information terminal.

_"_See, there it is, right there! A hundred years ago, massive power surge, all the teleports going at once. Soon as the Vashta Nerada hit their hatching cycle, they attack. Someone hits the alarm, the computer tries to teleport everyone out." He explained.

**"**It tried to teleport 4,022 people?" River asked him skeptically.

**"**Succeeded, pulled 'em all out, but then what? Nowhere to send them, nowhere safe in the whole Library, Vashta Nerada growing in every shadow. 4,022 people all beamed up and nowhere to go. They're stuck in the system, waiting to be sent, like emails. So what's a computer to do? What does a computer always do?" he asked them.

**"**It saved them." Realization dawned on her. She walked up to the Doctor.

**"**The Library, a whole world of books, and right at the core, the biggest hard drive in history. The index to everything ever written, backup copies of every single book. The computer saved 4,022 people the only way a computer can. It saved them to the hard drive."

_An alarm sounded in the Library._

**"**What is it? What's wrong?" Mr. Lux asked.

**"**Autodestruct enabled in 20 minutes." A computer voice sounded.

**"**20 minutes, this planet's gonna crack like an egg." The Doctor said.

**"**No! No, it's all right; the doctor moon will stop it. It's programmed to protect CAL." Mr. Lux panicked. The screen of the information terminal goes blank.

_"_No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" The Doctor shouted at it.

**"**We need to stop this; we've got to save CAL!" Mr. Lux cried out.

**"**What is it, what is CAL?" The Doctor asked him. Mr. Lux looked into his eyes and sighed.

**"**We need to get to the main computer, I'll show you." He said.

**"**It's at the core of the planet." The Doctor said. There was no way they would make it there in time.

**"**Well, then. Let's go!" River said grinning. _She Sonics the symbol on the floor at the center of the room, and it opened up._ "Gravity platform!" she smiled at the Doctor. He grinned back.

**"**I bet I like you."

**"**Oh, you do! Said I take after Mum."

"What?"

"Nothing." She replied. _They all stepped onto the platform and it started to descend._

**"**Autodestruct in 15 minutes." The Computer spoke again.

**"**The Data Core! 4,000 living minds, trapped inside it." The Doctor exclaimed.

**"**Yeah, well they won't be living much longer, we're running out of time." River said.

***  
_In the Library, they can hear the Girl's cry for help from the computer's terminal._

**"**What's that?" Anita asked.

**"**Was that a child?" River said looking around the room.

**"**Computer's in sleep mode. I can't wake it up. I'm trying." He pushes some keys, but nothing happened.

**"**Doctor, these readings!" River called him over.

**"**I know, you'd think it was... dreaming." The Doctor stated, whispering the last word.

**"**It is dreaming...of a normal life, and a lovely Dad, and of every book ever written." Mr. Lux told them.

**"**Computers don't dream." Anti said.

**"**Help me. Please help me." A girls voice came from the terminal.

**"**No. But little girls do." He agreed. He pushed a lever and a door opened. The Doctor and everyone ran into the empty room, and were greeted by a Node with a little girls face on it.

_"_Please help me. Please help me." She pleaded with them.

**"**Oh, my God!" River Song breathed stepping back.

**"**It's the little girl. The girl we saw in the computer." The Doctor stated flatly. Who was she?

**"**She's not in the computer. In a way, she is the computer. The main command node. This is CAL." Mr. Lux said. He touched the Node/Girls cheek.

**"**CAL is a child! A child hooked up to a mainframe? Why didn't you tell me this? I needed to know this!" The Doctor yelled. Mr. Lux backed up and further explained.

**"**Because she's family! CAL... Charlotte Abigail Lux. My grandfather's youngest daughter. She was dying, so he built her a library, and put her living mind inside, with a moon to watch over her, and all of human history to pass the time, any era to live in, any book to read. She loved books more than anything. He gave her them all. He asked only that she be left in peace. A secret, not a freak show."

**"**So you weren't protecting a patent, you were protecting her." The Doctor said more calmly, than his previous statement.

**"**This is only half a life, of course. But it's forever."

**"**And then the shadows came."

**"**Shadows. I have to... I have to save. Have to save..." The Girl said.

**"**And she saved them. She saved everyone in the Library, folded them into her dreams and kept them safe." The Doctor said sympathetically.

**"**Then why didn't she tell us?" Anita asked him. He looked at her and frowned for a moment. He sighed and further explained.

**"**Because she's forgotten. She's got over 4,000 living minds chatting away inside her head, it must be like... being... well, me."

**"**So what do we do?" River asked. A computers voice announced that they had ten minutes before Autodestruct.

"Easy! We beam all the people out of the data core, the computer will reset and stop the countdown. Difficult, Charlotte doesn't have enough memory space left to make the transfer. Easy! I'll hook myself up to the computer and she can borrow my memory space!" The Doctor said.

**"**Difficult! It'll kill you stone dead!" River shouted at him. No way was she going to let him die!

**"**Yeah, it's easy to criticize." He stated simply.

**"**It'll burn out both your hearts and don't think you'll regenerate!" she pointed out.

**"**I'll try my hardest not to die. Honestly, it's my main thing." He told her. It's as if she knew his plan. Without Donna, nothing was holding him down. He was a ship without and anchor.

'_and as for us never meeting, I'd be dead. Plain and simple. Donna don't you see? You're my anchor. If it was not for you, who knows how or where I might be. _

_Donna I love you!" he looked deep into her watery eyes before pulling her into a kiss.'_

**"**Doctor!" River shouted. He glared at her. He couldn't think with her shouting.

**"**I'm right and this works! Shut up. Now listen, you and Luxy-boy, back up to the main Library. Prime any data cells you can find for maximum download, and before you say anything else, Professor, can I just mention in passing as your air, shut up!" he ordered.

**"**Ha! I hate you sometimes!" she shouted.

**"**I know!" he called back.

**"**Mr. Lux, with me! Anita, if he dies, I'll kill him!" River yelled and left with Mr. Lux. The Doctor frantically worked at the computer terminal, trying to out do time.

"What about the Vashta Nerada?" Anita asked. She took a step closer.

**"**These are their forests. I'm gonna seal Charlotte inside her little world, take everybody else away. The shadows can swarm to their hearts' content." He explained to her. His eyes searched the screen frantically.

**"**So you think they're just gonna let us go?"

**"**Best offer they're gonna get." He forced a small grin.

**"**You're gonna make 'em an offer?"

**"**They'd better take it, cos right now, I'm finding it very hard to make any kind of offer at all. You know what..." he turned to Anita and sighed sadly, before turning back to the screen. "I really liked Anita. She was brave, even when she was crying, and she never gave in. And you ate her." He soniced the spacesuit's visor and a skeletons head came into view. "But I'm gonna let that pass. Just as long as you let them pass."

**"**How long have you known?"

**"**I counted the shadows. You only have one now. She's nearly gone. Be kind." He told them noticing that the neural relay was blinking in and out.

"These are our forests. We are not kind."

**"**I'm giving you back your forests, but you are giving me them. You are letting them go." He walked back to the terminal.

"These are our forests. They are our meat."

**"**Don't play games with me! I'm the Doctor and you're in the biggest library in the universe. Look me up."

_"_You have one day." The spacesuit collapses just as River Song entered the room.

_"_Anita!" she cried.

**"**I'm sorry, she's been dead a while now. I told you to go!"

**"**Lux can manage without me. But you can't." she walked up to the Doctor and knocked him out without a word.

***  
_River sat in a weird chair fiddling with some wires. The Doctor sat, handcuffed to a pillar a bit further, regaining consciousness. _

Autodestruct in two minutes, a computer announced.

**"**Oh, no, no, no, no, come on, what are you doing? That's my job!" he cried out.

**"**Oh, and I'm not allowed to have a career, I suppose?" She chuckled softly.

**"**Why am I handcuffed? Why do you even have handcuffs?" he asked, pulling on his restraints.

**"**Spoilers!" she smiled nervously.

**"**This is not a joke, stop this now, this is gonna kill you! I'd have a chance, you don't have any."

**"**You wouldn't have a chance, and neither do I. I'm timing it for the end of the countdown, there'll be a blip in the command flow. That way it should improve our chances of a clean download."

**"**River! Please! No!"

"Funny thing is, this means you've always known how I was going to die. All the time we've been together, you knew I was coming here. The last time I saw you, the real you, the future you, I mean - you turned up on my doorstep with Mum. You two took me to Darillium to see the singing towers. Oh, what a night that was! The towers sang, and Mum cried."

**"**You wouldn't tell me why, but I suppose you knew it was time. My time. Time to come to the Library. Mum even gave her screwdriver - that should've been a clue."

_The Doctor tried to reach for one of the Sonic Screwdriver that were just too out of reach._

**"**There's nothing you can do." River smiled fondly at him.

**"**You can let me do this!"

**"**If you die here, it'll mean I'd never have been born. It's OK. It's OK; it's not over for you. You'll see me again. You've got all of that to come. You, Mum, and me, time and space. You watch us run!" tears start to escape her eyes.

_"_River, you know my future! You whispered my future with Donna in my ear. There's no one who would that. Unless..."

**"**Hush, now! Spoilers..." she smiles at him tenderly through hr tears. _River plugged the together two cables together and a blinding white light hid her from view._

_Donna ran up to the Doctor through the crowd near the little shop._

_"Good to see you again." The Doctor greeted her. He picked her up in a big bear hug and spun her around. _

_"Put me down Doctor." She squealed. He put her down and they looked into each others eyes. They leaned their backs against the wall and watched as people were being transported, holding each others hand._

**"**What about you?" Donna finally spoke. He looked at her and swallowed. "Are you all right?"

**"**I'm always all right." He lied. She elbowed him softly.

**"**Is 'all right' special Time Lord code for... 'really not all right at all'?" she asked, tears brimming her eyes.

**"**Why?" he asked her.

**"**Cos I'm 'all right', too." She willingly let the hurt and sadness come through. They looked into each other's eyes understanding their sorrow perfectly. He squeezed her hand.

_"_Come on."

**"**Your friend... Professor Song... She knew us in the future, what does that mean?"

**"**Donna... This is her diary. Our future. What do you think? Shall we peek at the end?" he waved the book in front of her.

**"**Spoilers, right?" she smiled.

**"**Right." _They looked at each other, then they decided to resist the temptation. The Doctor placed River's sonic screwdriver on top of the book and they turned to leave._

They entered the TARDIS. Donna smiled, she felt exhausted. She swayed slightly, but the Doctor caught her.

"I've got you." He reassured her. She smiled faintly. "Come on lets get you to bed." He picked her up bridle style. She rested her head on his shoulder. She breathed in and let out a drained sigh.

Upon entering her room he laid her down on the bed. He slipped her shoes off, and he slowly moved the covers from under her and laid them on top. She snug led into her pillow. She looked like a little child to the Doctor.

"You scared me today Donna." He said. She nodded and closed her eyes. He moved the hair from her face gently and stood up to leave. Upon turning he felt someone grab h is wrists.

"Doctor, please don't go. Not yet at least." He nodded and laid down next to her. (A/N: on top of the covers..pervs :P)

He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face into her hair. He smiled; this was so relaxing, he could stay like this forever. They both drifted off to sleep within minutes. And when they awoke the next morning, they were still in each others arms.

A/N: Sorry it took so long! You have no idea how long it took to find this script! Only a few eps. left till s4 season finale…but it's not the end of meh story.. ;)


	11. Promise Me

The Doctor woke up with Donna in his arms. He smiled and placed a kiss on the top of her head. He sighed heavily. Her heartbeat had put him to sleep last night, her single heart that he loved so much. The Doctor had thought that he'd lost her. He believed he had lost Donna and that terrified him.

She moved beneath him and he tensed. He didn't want her to wake up just yet. She turned around in his arm and laid her face on his chest. Sighing peacefully she fell back to sleep. A smile danced on the Doctors lips as he gave a small chuckle.

This was nice, laying here with Donna. The Doctor liked it so much he wished time could stop. A useless wish he knew would never happen. He knew that time stopped for no one and that also scared him.

He placed his chin on her crown. He had to ask her. It was now or never! The Doctors hand rummaged through his jacket pocket, which lay on a chair only a few inches away. Upon finding it the Doctor brought it to his face to examine it.

He flipped it open and looked at the gold band. He smiled to himself as he tried to imagine her wearing it. He sighed furiously as no memory came to mind. This was odd. He thought. He'd been to the future multiple times, his future. The Doctor had scene her wearing before, but now everything was a blur; his future, Donna's future.

"Who's that for?" Donna asked, scarring the crap out of the Doctor. He made a sudden noise and fell out of bed. He poked his head up and saw a giggling Donna.

"Don't ever scare me like that again!" he warned breathing harshly. She smiled warmly at him as climbed back into bed next to her.

"Fine, but whose that for?' she asked again motioning towards the ring.

"Oh, that you see. It's um for, uh a girl." The Doctor said as Donna laughed again. He smiled, but gave a confused look as well.

"Well I'd hope so spaceman! What I mean is what lucky lady are you going to propose to?"

"What makes you say that I'm going to propose to someone." Now it was Donna's turn to look confused as well.

"So if your not, then some proposed to you!" she exclaimed. The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"No Donna. No one proposed to anyone."

"Then why do you have an engagement ring then? That is an engagement ring right?"

"Yes this is an engagement ring." The Doctor spoke carelessly. What was he going to do now? Wait a minute! Donna's words started to sink into h is head. _What I mean is what lucky lady are you going to propose to? _Did she really mean that?

"Doctor are you listening to me?"

"What, no. Sorry Donna what did you say."

"I said, oh forget what I said! Why do have an engagement ring? Huh Spaceman! You said you weren't proposing-" he cut her off.

"I never said I wasn't going to propose." He smiled at her.

"But you said." She gave up trying to reason with him. She raised her hand and slapped his arm.

"Ow! What'd do?"

"You're trying to confuse a tired lady. That's cheating!"

"I didn't know we were playing a game." He raised his eyebrow suggestively. Donna put her hand in his face and pushed his away slightly.

"Yeah right. Doctor you know what I mean. Now answer me truthfully. Whose that ring for?" the Doctor nodded and looked into her eyes. He got off of the bed and got down on one knee, as he opened the blue velvet box again.

"Donna Noble, will you do me the honor of being my wife?" He asked her. The look in his eyes intensified as Donna's eyes began to get watery.

"Doc-Doctor I said the truth." She complained through tears. He smiled and nodded.

"This is the truth. So Donna will you?" He asked her once more. He was itching for an answer, he wasn't sure if he could stand the wait.

"Y-you want to, you want marry me?" She managed to choke out. She shook her head and looked at the ring. This was real. He was really asking to marry her. A small laugh escaped her lips, smiling she looked into his eyes. He nodded his head and begged her for a answer. "Yes! Of course I'll marry you." She fell out of bed, on top of him as they landed on the floor.

They laughed for awhile, but they soon were both locked in each others eyes. The Doctor smiled and grabbed her hand and brought it up to his chest. He slowly slid on the ring.

"Thank you Donna Noble for accepting to marry me. I promise to never let you down or let you fall, for as long as I have you in my life." He leaned himself up and pressed a soft and subtle kiss on her lips. He backed away grinning.

"Doctor promise me something?" She said more as a request than an order. The Doctor gave her a small smile and replied.

"Anything."

"Promise me that you'll never abandon me or hurt me." She laid her head on his chest and listened to his hearts beat. He smiled and placed his hand on her head.

"I promise that'll never hurt you."

**~~~A/N: Okay I know this one really isn't that long but I'm going to be doing two instead of one, during the episodes. So yea plus o had no idea were to continue in this story…..**


	12. A Gift to You

_1 Month Later_

"So you told Martha I hear." The Doctor stated as Donna walked into the console room. She looked at him odd.

"How'd you know that?" He looked up at her and smiled. He stepped aside to reveal a more than ecstatic Martha Jones. "Martha? What are you doing here?" Martha stood up and wrapped Donna in a bear hug.

"How can I not be here? This is so wonderful, I had to come and see you guys. Seriously, first you two are getting married and now you have a bun in the oven!" She exclaimed. "I told everyone I knew that the Doctor is turning Domestic!" the Doctor frowned.

"Awe, you didn't did you." He pouted and Martha smiled and winked at him.

"Of course I told Captain Jack. Why wouldn't I?" She asked him playfully. Donna smirked and sat down by him.

"So when do I get to meet him?" Donna asked. Maratha opened her mouth to speak up the Doctor beat her to the punch.

"Never! Never ever." He stood up and walked over to the controls. "Thank you Martha for coming by, I'm sure we'll see each other soon." Martha laughed and sat down next to Donna.

"What I was going to say was that Jack and some of Torchwood are going to my engagement party if you two wanna come." She looked at the Doctor. "I'm sure Jack is just dying to speak with you Doctor." The Doctor bit his bottom lip. Donna chuckled and looked at Martha.

"I'm sure he does, but we must respectfully decline. The Doctor has promised to take me to the planet Midnight." The Doctor sighed in relief. Martha frowned, but smiled again.

"Alright. So Donna how far along are you?"

"Oh lets see about 1 month maybe 2. It's quite hard to keep track when you're with the Doctor." Donna smiled fondly at him. Martha placed her hand on Donna's stomach gently. The Doctor tensed up immediately. Even though he knew he could trust Martha completely, it still made him nervous when someone came close to Donna and his unborn child.

"Hmm, I would estimate 2 months at least." She removed her hand and smiled at the Doctor and back at Donna.

"Wow that was amazing. How'd know?" Donna asked astonished. Martha shrugged.

"I am a Doctor after all." The Doctor smiled at her remark.

"Yes of course you are and your patients must be worried about you. It's sad that you must be off so soon, but I shall imagine we'll cross paths again." Martha smiled catching his drift and stood up abruptly.

"I'm afraid so. If I'm to be gone too long a reports will be filled." Donna frowned and stood up as well.

"Must you go?" Donna asked. Martha nodded and smiled at the Doctor.

"Alright Doc take me home." The Doctor nodded and took Martha back home to earth.

"Bye Martha." The Doctor said as he waved goodbye to her. Martha smiled and said goodbye as well. Upon entering the TARDIS he found Donna leaning against the console with her arms crossed.

"Why'd you do that?" she asked.

"Do what." He shrugged and walked past her.

"Don't go and play dumb with me Spaceman. I know you did that on purpose." She said walking after him. He walked into their room and smiled.

"I honestly have no idea what you are talking about."

"Listen here Doctor-" The Doctor cut her off by shoving a gift in front of her face. She took in her hands and looked at questioningly. "What's this?"

He shrugged and grinned. "Eh, consider it a gift."

"What's the occasion?" She asked looking at him skeptically.

"Do I need one." He asked, tilting his head to the side. She smiled and shrugged.

"S'pose not." Donna opened the box to reveal a Sonic Screwdriver, identical to the one the Doctor has. Her eyes watered as she held it in her hand. It fit so perfectly. "Wha-Why?" Donna couldn't ask him anything else. Why had he given this to her? He smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

"Because I want you to be safe and protected when ever I'm not around. And besides every Time Lady needs one." He gave her a wink. "We-ell I mean your not a Time Lord, but you're marring one. Happy?" Donna grinned and grabbed the Doctors tie. She leaned against him.

"You're right. Maybe its time that I make my Time Lord happy. What'cha say?" she whispered into his ear. The Doctor grinned and entangled his fingers in her hair.

"You're the boss." He purred. Donna looked into his eyes, which were full of lust and desire, and pulled him into a fiery kiss. They stumbled backwards and the Doctor pushed Donna onto the bed.

They worked at each others clothing until every last strand of it rested in a pile on the floor.

"I love you…Donna." He moaned between gasps of air. Donna moaned in response and the Doctor knew that she loved him too.

**~~~TheEnd**

A/N: Okay well what do ya think? I'm really excited about writing Midnight. I'm a let u in on a secret…Donna is going on the Tour thingy with the Doctor! What happens what will be changed…?


	13. Midnight

"Sapphire waterfall - it's a waterfall made of sapphires! This enormous jewel, size of a glacier, reaches the Cliffs of Oblivion, and then shatters into sapphires at the edge - they fall 100,000 feet into a crystal ravine." The Doctor exclaimed.

"I bet you say that to all the girls." Donna said as she stopped grabbing his hand.

"Oh, come on! They're boarding now! Four hours, that's all it takes." He smiled and tugged her forward. Donna remained where she stood and looked down. "All right, I give up. We'll try that anti-gravity restaurant. With bibs." The Doctor smiled.

"Good. But Doctor aren't you worried? Couldn't something go wrong?" Donna asked nervously. The Doctor took her chin to make her look at him. She gave him a faint smile.

"Nah. Taking a big space truck with a bunch of strangers across a diamond planet called Midnight - what could possibly go wrong?" He grinned and Donna hit his arm playfully.

"Come on Spaceman, or we'll miss it!" Donna told him grabbing his arm and pulling forward.

The Doctor and Donna sat on the shuttle, watching the last of the passengers' board.

"Complimentary juice pack and complimentary..." The Hostess began, but the woman cut her off.

"Just the headphones, please."

"There you go." The Hostess smiled and handed the passenger the headphones. She moved on to the Doctor and Donna.

_"_That's the headphones for Channels 1 to 36; modem link for 3D vidgames; complimentary earplugs; complimentary slippers; complimentary juice pack; and complimentary peanuts. I must warn you some products may contain nuts."

"That'll be the peanuts." He said smiling. Donna just rolled her eyes and grabbed the peanuts. The Hostess looked at him odd and nodded.

"Enjoy your trip." She smiled.

"Oh, I can't wait! Allons-y!" The Doctor exclaimed. The hostess gave him another odd look.

"Doctor." Donna warned.

"I'm sorry?" the Hostess asked. The Doctor felt Donna glaring at him.

"It's French, for let's go!"

"Fascinating." She said, sarcasm leaking through her voice. She moved on past the Doctor and Donna.

"Why'd you go and do that?" Donna asked in a hushed whisper.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He smiled and kissed her softly. He pulled away and looked at her. Her eyes were closed and she had a smile plastered on her face. The Doctor looked at the Professor and Dee Dee over the back of his seat. They smiled up at him. Donna soon fallowed suit.

"Hobbes! Professor Winfold Hobbes!" The old man introduced himself.

"I'm the Doctor, hello! And this is my Fiancé Donna Noble." They shook hands. And Donna smiled and said hello as well.

"It's my 14th time!" Hobbes said sitting back down.

"Oh! My first. We-ell ours."

"And I'm Dee Dee, Dee Dee Blasco." The young woman sitting next to him said. She extended her hand and the Doctor shook it.

_"_Now don't bother the man! Where's my water bottle?" Hobbes scolded. Dee Dee nodded and sat down. The Doctor and Donna turned back around and held each others hands. The Hostess walked to the front of the shuttle to address all of the passenger's passengers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome on board the Crusader 50, if you would fasten your seatbelts, we'll be leaving any moment. Doors!" the Doors closed automatically. "Shields down!" The shields descended over the windows. "I'm afraid the view is shielded until we reach the Waterfall Palace. Also, a reminder, Midnight has no air, so please don't touch the exterior door seals. Fire exit at the rear, and should we need to use it... you first. Now I will hand you over to Driver Joe."

"Driver Joe at the wheel! There's been a diamond fall at the Winter Witch Canyon, so we'll be taking a slight detour, as you'll see on the map." a map was shown on a screen_. "_The journey covers 500 kliks to the Multifaceted Coast; duration is estimated at four hours. Thank you for travelling with us, and as they used to say in the olden days, wagons roll!"

_"_For your entertainment, we have the Music Channel playing retrovids of Earth Classics. Also, the latest artistic installation from Ludovico Klein. Plus, for the youngsters, a rare treat - the Animation Archives. Four hours of fun time! Enjoy!"

Donna nudges the Doctor's arm and he nods. He pulls out his Sonic Screwdriver and stops it. He turns to the woman next to him (A/N: not Donna, Skye) and smiles.

_"_Well, that's a mercy!" Hobbes exclaims. Dee Dee nods and looked at the Hostess.

"I do apologize, ladies and gentlemen. We seem to have a failure of the Entertainment System..."

"Ooh." The Doctor pouted play fully. Donna chuckled and forced a frown, but she couldn't keep it.

"But what do we do?" A middle aged woman asked, looking at the man next to her. The Doctor assumed it was her husband.

"We've got four hours of this! Four hours of just... sitting here?" Her husband asked the Hostess.

"Tell you what!" The Doctor sat on his knees and faced the rest of the passengers. "We'll have to talk to each other instead!" He grinned at the passengers who seemed to find his idea weird.

***  
98 KLIKS LATER...

People were laughing, having a great time telling stories, except Skye who sat apart from the rest reading a book, and Jethro who seemed rather embarrassed by his parents.

"So Biff said, 'I'm going swimming.'" Val said hold back laughter.

"Oh, I was all ready, trunks and everything! Nose plug!" Biff laughed.

"He had this little nose plug, you should've seen him." Val smiled.

"And I went marching up to the lifeguard, and he was a Shamboni, you know, those big foreheads?" Biff took his hand and pushed back some of his hair to extend his forehead. Donna chuckled and smiled, while the Doctor looked at her and put a hand on her knee.

"Great big forehead!" Val pointed to her husbands.

"And I said, where's the pool? And he said..." Biff couldn't finish and then he smiled at his wife.

"The pool is abstract!" They said in unison.

"It wasn't a real pool!" Val said.

"It was a concept!" Biff smiled and turned red from the embarrassment of it all.

"And you wore a nose plug!" The Doctor stated.

"I was like this!" he pinched his nose. _"_Mmm...Where's the pool?" Everyone burst out laughing again. Donna rested her head on the Doctor's shoulder and he grinned.

***  
150 KLIKS LATER...

The Doctor, Donna, and Dee Dee are in the galley.

"I'm just a second-year student, but I wrote a paper on the Lost Moon of Poosh, Professor Hobbes read it, liked it, and took me on as a researcher. Just for the holidays. Well, I say researcher, most of the time he's got me fetching and carrying. But it's all good experience!"

"And did they ever find it?" Donna asked her.

"Find what?" Dee Dee asked looking at her funny.

"The Lost Moon of Poosh!" The Doctor butted in.

"Oh no! Not yet!" Dee Dee laughed and took a sip of her coffee.

"Well, maybe that'll be your great discovery, one day. Here's to Poosh!" The Doctor pointed out as he lifted his coffee cup.

_"_Poosh!" Donna and Dee Dee said together as the three of them let there cups hit each others.

***  
209 KLIKS LATER

The Doctor is sitting beside Skye with Donna in the chair behind them, just having had their meals served.

"You?" The Doctor asked her.

"No, it's just me." Skye answered solemnly. Donna just sat back and listened to their conversation.

"Oh, I've done plenty of that. Travelling on my own. I love it. Do what you want! Go anywhere!" The Doctor smiled. Donna chuckled. _He's such a little liar sometimes._ She laughed and then continued to listen. She had realized she had missed some of their conversation and decided to just stay out of it.

"Oh, what's this, chicken or beef?" Donna popped her head from behind them, startling both of them, holding up her fork. The Doctor looked from her to his own food.

"I think it's both." He smiled at Donna and Skye laughed.

***  
251 KLIKS LATER...

Professor Hobbes was showing his slides to the other passengers.

"So, this is Midnight, d'you see? Bombarded by the sun! Xtonic rays, raw galvanic radiation. Dee Dee, next slide!" the slide changes. _"_It's my pet project. Actually, I'm the first person to research this. Because you see... the history is fascinating, because there is no history. There's no life in this entire system, there couldn't be. Before the Leisure Palace Company moved in, no-one had come here in all eternity. No living thing."

"But how d'you know? I mean, if no-one can go outside..." Jethro asked finally becoming part of the mingling.

"Oh, his imagination! Here we go!" Val ranted.

"He's got a point, though." The Doctor said as Donna nodded.

"Yeah, I mean if no one has been out there, how do we know for sure?" Donna asked sitting on the Doctors lap, his arms wrapped around her waist.

"Exactly! We look upon this world through glass. Safe inside our metal box. Even the Leisure Palace was lowered down from orbit. And here we are now, crossing Midnight, but never touching it." Professor Hobbs said, lowering his voice to make it more dramatic. There was a rattling, and then the engines went silent.

"We've stopped. Have we stopped?" Val asked looking around. Donna shifted on the Doctor's lap.

"Are we there?" Jethro asked.

"We can't be, it's too soon." Dee Dee pointed out looking at her watch. Donna got out of the Doctor's lap.

"They don't stop, Crusader vehicles never stop." Professor Hobbs said walking over to the Hostess.

"If you could just... return to your seats, it's... just a small delay." The hostess instructed and walked by everyone helping them into their seats if needed. She was just as confused as her passengers; she went to go talk with the driver over the intercom.

_"_Maybe just a pit stop." Biff sounded hopeful as he sat down.

"Doctor what's going on?" Donna asked leaning over and whispering. He shook his head and took her hand in his.

"I'm not sure, but it'll be okay."

"But Doctor-" he hushed her by pressing his lips to hers, trying his best to drown out the meaningless scrap that was going on. He cupped her face and deepened the kiss. When he broke away he saw relax and he smiled.

"It'll be fine. You and the Baby will be okay."

"Ladies and gentlemen and variations thereupon, we're just experiencing a short... delay, the driver needs to stabilize the engine feeds. It's perfectly routine, so if you could just stay in your seats..." The Hostess smiled. The doctor stood up and walked over to the driver's cabin leaving Donna behind. "No, I'm sorry sir, I... could you please..."

He ignored her and opened the door and entered the cockpit. "Sorry sir, if you could just sit down! You're not supposed to be in there..." he once again ignored her and let the doors close behind him.

_"_Sorry, if you could return to your seat, sir..." The driver said, but the Doctor cut him off.

"Company insurance; let's see if we can get an early assessment. So, what's the problem, Driver Joe?"

"We're stabilizing the engine feeds, won't take long." The driver reassured him.

"Um, no, cos that's the engine feed, that light there, and its fine, and it's a micropetrol engine, so stabilizing doesn't really make sense, does it? Sorry! I'm the Doctor, I'm very clever. So, what's wrong?"

"We just stopped, look, all systems fine and everything's working, but we're not moving." A guy said next to the Doctor. The Doctor looked down at him and sniffed. He pulled out his sonic and started checking the stats.

"Yeah you're right. No faults. And who are you?" the Doctor asked the mysterious man.

"Claude, I'm the mechanic. Trainee." Claude extended his hand to the Doctor.

"Nice to meet you." The Doctor shook his hand and smiled.

"I've sent a distress signal. They should dispatch a rescue truck, top speed." Driver Joe told him.

"How long till they get here?" The Doctor asked.

"About an hour." He answered.

"Well, since we're waiting... shall we take a look outside? Just... lift the screens a bit?" the Doctor suggested. He felt giddy like a school boy.

"It's 100% Xtonic out there, we'd be vaporized." The Driver exclaimed. He gave the Doctor a shocked and appalled expression.

"No, those windows are Finitoglass; they'd give you a couple of minutes. Go on! Live a little!" The Doctor nudged the driver with his elbow. Driver Joe gave in and raised the shields. The three of them looked at the landscape in awe_._ "Ohhh, that is beautiful..."

"Look at all those diamonds! Poisoned by the sun. No-one can ever touch them." Claude said in a amazement. The Doctor looked at him and smiled.

"Joe, you said we took a detour?" The Doctor asked looking at him.

"Just about 40 kliks to the west."

"Is that a recognized path?"

"No, it's a new one; the computer worked it out, on automatic."

"So we're the first? This piece of ground. No-one's ever been here before. Not in the whole of recorded history." They all sat there for a moment till Claude interrupted the silence.

"Did you just...? No, sorry, it's... nothing."

"What did you see?" The Doctor asked. He squinted his eyes to get a better look.

"Just there. That ridge. Like... like a shadow. Just, just for a second." He pointed out to a specific Diamond cliff.

"What sort of shadow?" An alarm sounds off, startling the three men.

_"_Xtonic rising! Shields down." The Driver announced.

"Look, look, there it is, there it is, look, there!"

"Where? What was it?" The Doctor ducked lower to try to get one last glimpse of whatever was out there before the shield closed.

"Like, just, something... shifting, something sort of... dark. Like it was...running."

"Running which way?"

"Towards us..." Claude said as if he was a 1,000 miles away.

"Right, Doctor, back to your seat and not a word, rescue's on its way. If you could close the door, thank you." The Driver ushered him back to his seat. The Doctor returned back to his seat next to a worried Donna.

_"_What did they say? Did they tell you? What is it, what's wrong?" Skye asked nervously. Her eyes were unable to focus on anything on the moment. He gave a reassuring smile.

"Oh, just stabilizing, happens all the time."

"I don't need this. I'm on a schedule. This is completely unnecessary!" she muttered back to him. The Doctor took his seat. Donna looking at him and frowned.

"You're such a liar sometimes." She said crossing her arms.

"I don't lie." Donna scoffed and poked his chest.

"HA! That was a lie there."

**"**Back to your seats, thank you." The Hostess announced as she returned to the cockpit.

_"_Excuse me, Doctor, but they're micropetrol engines, aren't they?" Dee Dee whispered.

**"**Now, don't bother the man." Hobbs said as he lightly hit her back. The Doctor turned in his seat slightly. He heard Donna give a soft yawn and felt her rest against him. Good, she needs some sleep. He said to himself.

**"**My father was a mechanic. Micropetrol doesn't stabilize, what does 'stabilize' mean?" Dee Dee asked leaning closer to the Doctor.

**"**Well. Bit of flim-flam. Don't worry, they're sorting it out." He explained. The Doctor listened as Donna's breathing became shallow, letting him know that she was asleep.

**"**So it's not the engines?" Hobbs said, popping his head over the seats.

**"**It's just a little pause, that's all." The Doctor confirmed.

**"**How much air have we got?" Hobbs asked all too loud.

**"**Professor, its fine." Dee Dee told him in a hushed voice.

**"**What did he say?" Val asked trying to get closer to their conversation. She was panicking and that only made matters worse.

**"**Nothing!" The Doctor shouted.

**"**Are we running out of air?" Val asked, rephrasing her previous question.

**"**I was just speculating..." Hobbs admitted. The Hostess returned from the driver's cabin.

**"**Is that right, miss? Are we running out of air?" Biff asked her.

**"**Is that what the Captain said?" Val added.

**"**If you could all just remain calm..." She told them, placing her hands up, palms towards them.

**"**How much air have we got?" Val, once again, asked. Jethro looked at his mom.

**"**Mum, just stop it." Jethro told her. Donna groaned and awoke with the Doctor looking at her.

"What's going on?"

"A big miss understanding." He sighed.

"Le'me guess, your doing?" she raised and eyebrow. All the Doctor could do was shrug. Donna and The Doctor turned their attention back to the 'miss understanding' as the Doctor put it.

**"**... its fine, the air is on a circular filter..." Dee Dee tried to say before Val interrupted her.

**"**... he started it..." everyone, except the Doctor, Dee Dee, and Donna, started talking at once.

_"_Everyone..." The Doctor said, Donna smirked and sat down placing her hands over her ears. Everyone kept talking. The Doctor whistled loudly and shouted, _"_QUIET!" Silence fell_._ "Thank you. Now, if you'd care to listen to my good friend Dee Dee..."

**"**Oh! Um... it's just that... well, the air's on a circular filter so... we could stay breathing for ten years."

"There you go! And I've spoken to the Captain, I can guarantee you, everything's fine." The Doctor confirmed. Two loud knocks were heard on the wall of the shuttle.

**"**What was that?" Val asked. Donna reached for the Doctor blindly.

**"**It must be the metal. We're cooling down, it's just settling..." Professor Hobbs explained.

**"**Rocks. Could be rocks falling." Dee Dee suggested. Donna stood up next to the Doctor, his hand landing on Donna's stomach.

**"**What I want to know is how long do we have to sit here." Biff asked roughly sitting back down. He crossed his arms; just then the double knock is repeated on a different part of the shuttle.

_"_What is that?" Skye asked. Donna grabbed hold of the Doctors hand. What was going on?

**"**Is someone out there?" Val asked standing back up hurry.

**"**Now, don't be ridiculous!" Professor Hobbs chuckled. It was absurd! People outside, in the Xtonic sunlight no less. What a laugh.

**"**Like I said, it could be rocks." Dee Dee pointed out again.

**"**We're out in the open. Nothing could fall against the sides." The Hostess said looking around the shuttle. Donna whispered something into the Doctors ear and he nodded reassuringly. And once again the two knock were heard.

_"_Knock knock." The Doctor stated aimlessly.

**"**Who is there?" Jethro answered looking up at the ceiling.

**"**Is there something out there? Well? Anyone?" Skye said her pitch high and groggy. The knocking was heard again. "What the hell is making that noise?"

**"**I'm sorry, but the light out there is Xtonic, that means it would destroy any living thing, in a split-second. It is impossible for someone to be outside." Professor told her. The knocking is repeated again-always two knocks, why?

_"_Well, what the hell is that, then?" Sky shouted. The Doctor goes to the wall where they heard the last knocks from.

"Doctor don't." Donna whispered her hand outstretched to him. He pulled out his stethoscope to try to hear what's outside.

_"_Sir! You really should get back to your seat." The Hostess stressed.

**"**Hello?" The Doctor asked calmly, but the knocking was heard from the fire exit at the rear of the shuttle.

_"_It's moving." Jethro said as he stood up and faced in that direction. There was a rattling from the door, like something was trying to get it open.

**"**It's trying the door!" Val screamed in horror. She latched onto Biff.

**"**There is no 'it', there's nothing out there. Can't be." The Professor said as he gazed at the door in awe. The thing tried again with the door, then it went around - always double knocks, from the roof then from the side door.

**"**That's the entrance. Can it get in?" Val asked, to no one in particular.

**"**No, that door's on two hundred weight of hydraulics." Dee Dee said, but to be honest even she wasn't quite sure.

**"**Stop it. Don't encourage them." Hobbs scolded her.

**"**What do you think it is?" she asked defensively. While they argued Biff walked over to the door.

_"_Biff, don't..." Val whispered.

**"**Mr. Cane, better not..." The Doctor warned. He wasn't sure what was going on himself. He cast a look at Donna to make sure she was okay. She was terrified and confused, but okay.

**"**Nah, its cast iron, that door..." Biff knocked on the door three times, and the thing outside repeated with three knocks.

_"_Three times! Did you hear that, it did it three times?" Val exclaimed astonished.

**"**It answered!" Jethro smirked.

**"**It did it three times!" Val said scarred out of her wits.

**"**All right, all right, all right, everyone, calm down." The Doctor ordered.

**"**No, but it answered, it... answered, don't tell me that thing's not alive, it answered him!" Skye shouted at the Doctor. And again three knocks.

_"_I really must insist, you get back to your seats!" The Hostess tried again.

**"**No! Don't just stand there telling us the rules! You're the hostess; you're supposed to do something!" Skye told her. The Doctor went to the door and knocked four times and in repeated, the thing knocked four times too. "What is it, what the hell's making that noise? She said she'd get me. Stop it, make it stop, somebody make it stop! Don't just stand there looking at me, it's not my fault, he started it with his stories..." Skye yelled in total panic.

**"**Calm down!" Dee Dee told her. She was beginning to grow irritated with Skye's insinuations.

**"**... and he made it worse..." Skye continued pointing to the Doctor.

**"**You're not helping!" Val cried out. Biff wrapped his arms around his wife.

**"**Why couldn't you leave it alone? Stop staring at me! Just tell me what the hell it is!" Skye cried. Donna approached her slowly.

**"**Calm down. Please Skye, just calm down." Donna placed a hand on Skye's shoulder, and just as quickly as Donna let out a breath the knockings became continuous. In panic, Skye slapped Donna's hand away and backed up towards the cockpit door.

_"_It's coming for me, ohh it's coming for me, it's coming for me... It's coming for me! It's coming for me!" Skye repeated and then let out a bone chilling scream. The Doctor grabbed Donna, but looked towards Skye.

"Get out of there!" He warned. The whole shuttle rocked, lights went out, and sparks fly illuminating the darkness. Everyone fell over screaming, groaning, and gasping in the darkness. Then in the middle of rocking the shuttle just stopped.

_"_All right? OK." He called in the darkness.

**"**Argh... Arms. Legs. Neck. Head. Nose. I'm fine... Everyone else? Donna?"

"I'm fine. Headache, stomachache, but fine." She reassured him.

**"**How are we, everyone all right?" The Doctor called out searching in the dark for Donna.

**"**Earthquake, must be..." Hobbs started before Dee Dee interrupted him.

**"**But that's impossible, the ground is fixed, it's solid."

**"**We've got torches, everyone, take a torch, they're in the back of the seats." The Hostess informed everyone. They found the torches and started to look around.

_"_Oh, Jethro, sweetheart, come here..." Val called out to her son. Jethro shook his head.

**"**Never mind me, what about her?" Everyone looked in the direction he was pointing. In the front of the shuttle, Skye was sitting motionless among ruined seats, her back to the others.

**"**What happened to the seats?" Val asked horrified. Donna walked into the Doctors arms.

**"**Who did that?" Biff asked walking closer before the Doctor stopped him.

**"**They've been ripped up." Donna chocked out.

**"**It's all right, it's all right, it's all right, it's over. We're still alive... Look, the wall's still intact. D'you see?" He says in a soothing voice to Skye. He pointed his torch at the wall in front of Sky. There was a dent in it, but it's not broken. The Hostess was trying to reach the driver via intercom_._ "We're safe."

The Hostess opened the cockpit door and a bright light blinded everyone. The Doctor shielded Donna, by wrapping himself in front of her. They screamed until the Hostess closed the door.

**"**What happened? What was that?" Donna asked the Doctor. He grabbed her hand comfortablely.

**"**Is it the driver? Have we lost the driver?" He asked his body shaking.

**"**The cabin's gone." The Hostess responded blankly.

**"**Don't be ridiculous. It can't be gone, how can it be gone?" Hobbs said dryly.

**"**Well, I don't know, but you saw it!" Dee Dee said to him. He short her a look. But Dee Dee didn't back down.

**"**There was nothing there, like it was ripped away." The Hostess murmured. The Doctor was fiddling on a panel in the front wall with his sonic. Donna stood by his side scared to leave him.

**"**What are you doing?" Biff asked. He pointed his torch at the Doctor.

_"_That's better, bit of light, thank you. Molto Bené!" The Doctor grinned and stepped forward.

**"**D'you know what you're doing?" Val asked.

**"**The cabin's gone; you'd better leave that wall alone." Biff warned him.

**"**The cabin can't be gone!" Hobbs argued. Everyone was growing considerablely annoyed with Hobbs pessimistic attitude.

**"**No, it's safe, any rupture would automatically seal itself..." he took off the panel. _"_But something sliced it off. You're right. The cabin's gone." He said sadly. Donna placed a hand on his shoulder.

**"**But if it gets separated..." The Hostess started.

"It loses integrity. I'm sorry, they've been reduced to dust. The driver and the mechanic. But they sent a distress signal. Help is on its way. They saved our lives! We're gonna get out of here, I promise. We're still alive, and they're gonna find us." He told everybody.

**"**Doctor. Look at her." Jethro said. He was watching Skye, who was still sitting in the same position, her back to the others.

_"_Right, yes, sorry... Have we got a medical kit?" He asked turning towards the Hostess.

**"**Why won't she turn around?" Donna asked stepping a bit closer.

**"**What's her name?" Biff asked.

**"**Silvestry. Mrs. Skye Silvestry." The Hostess answered. The Doctor looked at Skye and warily walked over to her.

"Skye? Can you hear me?" He crouched down next to her._ "_Are you all right? Can you move, Skye? Just look at me." The Doctor looked at her intently. He reached into his pockets and pulled out his specks. He examined Skye ignoring the background conversation.

Donna crouched down next to the Doctor.

"She alright?" Donna asked. The Doctor shook his head.

**"S**kye...it's all right, Skye. I just want you to turn around, face me." He coxed her. Slowly Skye turned around and stared at the Doctor and Donna. With wide eyes. She looked like a wild animal.

_"_Skye?" Donna asked. The background noise ceased.

**"**Skye?" Skye repeated. The Doctor looked at Skye strangely.

**"**Are you all right?" He asked. And just like before Skye repeated.

**"**Are you all right?"

**"**Are you hurt?" The Doctor asked Donna reached out, but the Doctor slowly pushed her hand away.

**"**Are you hurt?" Skye repeated.

**"**You don't have to talk." Donna told her.

**"**You don't have to talk." She copied.

**"**I'm trying to help." Donna said softly.

**"**I'm trying to help." Skye echoed.

**"**My name's the Doctor."

**"**My name's the Doctor." Skye said. The Doctor noted the fact that Skye couldn't stop repeating. No matter what or who said something.

**"**OK, can you stop?" Donna asked, feeling a bit strange.

**"**OK, can you stop?" (A/N; Every time a sentence is repeated it's mostly Skye unless I add a different name...ok.)

**"**I'd like you to stop." The Doctor said. He started to slowly push Donna away from Skye, anxiety rising in his mind. Something wasn't right. He had to protect Donna; that was the first thing that popped into his head.

"I'd like you to stop."

**"**Why's she doing that?" Professor Hobbs asked. Donna stood up and walked backwards to the group.

**"**Why's she doing that?" Skye repeated turning to face him.

**"**She's gone mad!" Biff cried out.

**"**She's gone mad."

**"**Stop it." Val commanded. Donna looked from the Doctor to Skye. She had a bad a feeling in the pit of stomach.

**"**Stop it."

**"**I said stop it!" Val shouted again.

**"**I said stop it!"

**"**I don't think she can." Donna muttered. Skye faced Donna and repeated her words. Professor Hobbs shouted at her to stop, but all she did was repeat what he said.

**"**Sh, sh, sh, all of you." The Doctor said, placing his index finger over his lips.

**"**Sh, sh, sh, all of you."

**"**My name's Jethro!" He said, looking amused. Skye replied only adding more excitement.

**"**Jethro, leave it, just shut up!" The Doctor yelled at the boy.

**"**Jethro, leave it, just shut up!"

**"**Why are you repeating?" The Doctor asked her. She didn't answer just copied. "What is that, learning?" He tried again.

**"**What is that, learning?"

**"**Copying?" The Doctor asked arching his left eyebrow.

**"**Copying?"

**"**Absorbing?"

**"**Absorbing?"

**"**The square root of pi is 1.77245385090551602729816748..." The Doctor slowed noticing she was repeating everything. ...3341. Wow!"

**"**But that's impossible." Hobbs announced.

**"**But that's impossible."

**"**She couldn't repeat all that." Dee Dee pointed out. The Doctor nodded. How was she able to repeat everything without messing up?

**"**She couldn't repeat all that."

**"**Tell her to stop!" Val cried. She placed a hand on her head.

**"**Tell her to stop!"

**"**She's driving me mad." Val insisted, walking toward the Doctor, but only to stop after two feet.

**"**She's driving me mad."

**"**Just make her stop!"

**"**Just make her stop!" They all started talking at once, but Skye still repeated every single word she heard, also copying tone and rhythm. Donna started to feel sick and called out for the Doctor.

"Doctor!'

"Doctor!" Skye repeated. The Doctor looked up into her eyes and noticed that she looked sick.

**"**Now, just stop it, all of..." He cried out.

**"**Now, just stop it all of..." but despite all of the Doctor's attempts no one stopped talking. All of the sudden they heard a high pitched noise as the lights came back on, which finally stopped all of the shouting.

"I suggest we all calm down. This panic isn't helping. That poor woman is evidently in a state of..." Professor Hobbs started.

**"**...self-induced hysteria, we should leave her alone." Hobbs and Skye finished together.

**"**Doctor." Jethro said noticing what was happening.

**"**I know." Came his reply. Donna sat down in a seat to catch her breath. Her stomach felt like it was on fire! But she still watched as the Doctor took a moment to think.

Sky was copying words Professor Hobbes says, but no more repeating; now she talked simultaneously with him.

**'**Doctor, now step back, I think you should leave her... Alone." Hobbs and Skye said at once. He finally noticed that Skye was talking simultaneously. _"_What's she doing?" They, Skye and Hobbs, asked.

**"**How can she do that? She's talking with you... and with me! Oh, my God! Biff, what's she doing?" Val asked having Skye talk along side her.

**"**She's repeating... At exactly the same time." Jethro explained smirking hearing Skye do the same to him.

**"**That's impossible." Donna/Skye gasped

**"**There's not even a delay." Hobbs/Skye whispered.

**"**Ohh man, that is weird." Jethro/Skye said the Doctor hushed them and looked back at Skye.

**"**I think you should all be very, very quiet, have you got that?" The Doctor/Skye warned everyone.

**"**How's she doing it?" Val/Skye asked.

**"**Mrs. Cane, please, be quiet." Donna/Skye told her. Donna finally hit the peak of the pain and gasped. The Doctor walked quickly over to her making sure she was okay.

"Donna you alright?" The Doctor/Skye asked her, kneeling next to her. He brought a hand to cheek. Donna nodded and leaned into his touch, letting the pain drain from her.

The Doctor stood back up and crouched down in front of Skye. He looked deep into her eyes.

_"_Now then, Sky. Are you Sky? Is Sky still in there? Mrs. Silvestry?" The Doctor/Skye paused. "You know exactly what I'm going to say, how are you doing that?" they paused again. "Roast beef! Bananas! The Medusa Cascade. Bang! Rose Tyler Martha Jones Donna Noble TARDIS! Shamble bobble dibble dooble. Oh, Doctor, you're so handsome. Yes I am, thank you. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O..." The Doctor rose.

_"_First she repeats. Then she catches up. What's the next stage?" The Doctor/Skye asked them selves.

"Next stage of what?" Dee Dee/Skye asked.

**"**But that's not her, is it? That's not Mrs. Silvestry any more." Jethro/Skye asked.

**"**I don't think so, no. I think... the more we talk, the more she learns. Now, I'm all for education, but in this case... maybe not. Let's just... move back. Come on. Come with me. Everyone, get back, all of you, as far as you can." The Doctor/Skye said.

He grabbed Donna's arm and led her to the galley were everyone else gathered.

"Doctor, make her stop." Val/Skye pleaded.

**"**Val, come on, come to the back, stop looking at her, come on, Jethro, you too. Everyone, come on... 50 minutes. That's all we need. 50 minutes till the rescue arrives. And she's not exactly strong, look at her; all she's got is our voices." The Doctor/Skye reassured her.

**"**I can't look at her. It's those eyes." Val/Skye said as she walked to the back fallowed by Jethro.

"We must not look at goblin men." Dee Dee/Skye said. Everyone looked at Dee Dee, clearly confused.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Biff/Skye asked.

"It's a poem. Christina Rossetti." The Doctor/Skye cleared up. Dee Dee nodded and continued.

"We must not look at goblin men  
We must not buy their fruits  
Who knows upon what soil they fed  
Their hungry, thirsty roots?"

**"**Actually, I don't think that's helping." The Doctor/Skye told her. Dee Dee looked down.

**"**She's not a goblin, or a monster, she's just a very sick woman." Hobbs/Skye said. Donna looked at him and shook her head.

**"**Maybe that's why it went for her." She/Skye pointed out. Hobbs gave her a look.

**"**There is no 'it'!" Hobbs/Skye insisted.

**"**Think about it though. That knocking, it went all the way round the bus until it found her. And she was the most scared, out of all of us. Maybe that's what it needed. That's how it got in." Jethro/Skye explained. Hobbs raised his voice at the two of them.

**"**For the last time! Nothing can live on the surface of Midnight." He/Skye shouted!

**"**Professor, I'm glad you've got an absolute definition of life in the universe, but perhaps the universe has got ideas of its own, mmm? Now trust me, I've got previous! I think there might well be some... consciousness inside Mrs. Silvestry, but maybe she's still in there. And it's our job to help her." The Doctor/Skye said. Donna placed a hand on his back, which clearly calmed him. The Doctor's face softened.

**"**Well, you can help her, I'm not going near." Biff/Skye informed the Doctor, who shook his head no.

**"**No, I've got to stay back. If she's copying us, maybe the final stage is becoming us. I don't want her becoming me, or things could get a lot worse." The Doctor/Skye informed them. Val huffed and Biff rolled his eyes.

**"**Oh, like you're so special." Val/Skye said sarcastically. Donna face grew red. _Why_ _were they acting like this? He was only trying to help them._ She thought.

**"**As it happens, yes he is. So that's decided. We stay back, and we wait. When the rescue ship comes, we can get her to hospital." Donna said firmly. Everyone stood there for a quick moment.

**"**We should throw her out." The Hostess/Skye informed.

**"**I beg your pardon?" Hobbs/Skye asked, appalled by the very thought of murder.

**"**Can we do that?" Val/Skye asked. The Doctor and Donna starred at her as if she'd lost her mind.

**"**Don't be ridiculous." Donna/Skye told her. "Of course we can't."

**"**That thing, whatever it is, killed the driver, and the mechanic, and I don't think she's finished yet." The Hostess/Skye told them.

**"**She can't even move!" Donna/Skye cried out. "You just can't go and murder her!'

**"**Look at her, look at her eyes! She killed Joe, and she killed Claude, and we're next." The Hostess/Skye complained. Donna huffed and began to speak again before the Doctor stopped her.

"She's still doing it." Biff/Skye informed everyone. He walked over back to Skye. _"_Just stop it! Stop talking! Stop it!" He/Skye shouted. He looked like he was about to snap.

**"**Biff, don't, sweetheart!" Val/Skye said, stretching her hand out to him.

**"**But she won't stop!" He walked back to the group. _"_We can't throw her out though; we can't even open the doors." He/Skye complained. He let out a drained sigh and scratched his head.

**"**No one is getting thrown out!" The Doctor/Skye told them.

**"**Yes, we can. Cos there's an air pressure seal. Like when you opened the cabin door, you weren't pulled out; you had a couple of seconds, cos it takes the pressure-wall about six seconds to collapse. Well, six seconds exactly. That's enough time to throw someone out." Dee Dee/Skye explained to the Hostess.

**"**Thanks, Dee Dee, just what we needed." Donna/Skye told her sarcastically. Donna grabbed the Doctors hand.

**"**Would it kill her, outside?" Val asked. (NOTE: Skye does not copy her.)

**"**I don't know, but she's got a body now, it would certainly kill the physical form." Dee Dee/Skye answered her. Dee Dee shrugged.

**"**No one is killing anyone!" The Doctor/Skye told everyone. Donna nodded in agreement.

**"**I wouldn't risk the cabin door twice, but we've got that one." The Hostess/Skye said. She pointed to the fire exit behind them. _"_All we need to do is grab hold of her and throw her out."

**"**Now, listen, all of you. For all we know that's a brand new life form over there. And if it's come inside to discover us, than what's it found? This little bunch of humans, what d'you amount to? A murder? Cos this is where you decide. You decide who you are. Could you actually murder her? Any of you? Really? Or are you better than that?" The Doctor/Skye asked.

_For a few seconds, they looked at each other silently._

**"**I'd do it." The Hostess/Skye admitted.

**"**So would I." Biff/Skye agreed.

**"**And me." Val/Skye said too.

**"**I think we should." Dee Dee/Skye said looking at Skye.

**"**What?" The Doctor/Skye exclaimed.

**"**I want her out." Dee Dee/Skye whined.

**"**You can't say that!" Donna/Skye protested. "She's human! This is killing!"

**"**I'm sorry, but you said it yourself, Doctor, she is growing in strength." Dee Dee/Skye told him.

**"**That's not what I said!" He/Skye said. He frowned at the people before him.

**"**I want to go home. I'm sorry. I want to be safe." Dee Dee/Skye whispered.

**"**You'll be safe, any minute now; the rescue truck is on its way." The Doctor/Skye said. This was not going to end well the Doctor thought. A wave of pain circulated through Donna and she grabbed at her stomach in pain.

The voices in the room faded as she focused on the pain. _What's going on? Why is my stomach hurting like this? Doctor, help me._

"_Two people are dead!"_ she heard the Hostess/Skye yell.

"_Don't make it a third! Jethro, what d'you say?"_ The Doctor/Skye said. Donna let the voices fade again as the pain picked up.

_What's happening to me? God this hurts! Where's Martha when you need her. _When the pain finale stopped she became confused. What were they talking about?

"All right, I'm interested, yes, I can't help it, cos whatever's inside her, it's brand new, and that's fascinating!" The Doctor/Skye admitted.

**"**What, you wanted this to happen?" Val/Skye shirked. Donna saw a blurry Doctor shake his head. She forced herself back up and over to the Doctor.

**"**No!" He/Skye protested. Donna grabbed his hand to try to wash away the pain. The Doctor looked at her and noticed she was in pain.

**"**And you two were talking to her, all on your own, before all the trouble, right at the front, you both were talking to that Skye woman, the three of you together, I saw you." Biff/Skye pointed out. Donna leaned into the Doctor for support; it was like the strength was being taken from her.

**"**We all did!" Val/Skye hollered. The Doctor held up one of his hands in defense.

**"**And you went into the cabin!" The Hostess/Skye said.

**"**What were you saying to her?" Biff/Skye ordered.

**"**I was just talking!" The Doctor/Skye answered. This was becoming unnecessary.

**"**Saying what?" Biff/Skye asked.

"You called us humans like you're not one of us!" Jethro/Skye exclaimed. Donna found the sudden strength to act like her, if that made any sense. She brought a hand to her chest defensively.

"Of course I'm human!" She/Skye exclaimed.

"He did! That's what he said!" Val/Sky confirmed ignoring Donna's statement. "You've been looking down on us from the moment we walked in."

**"**Even if he goes, he's practically volunteered." The Hostess/Skye snapped.

**"**Oh come on, just listen to yourself, please!" The Doctor/Skye pleaded.

**"**What d'you mean - we throw him out as well?" Biff/Skye asked her. Donna squeezed the Doctors hand.

**"**If we have to." She/Skye answered. Donna released his hand and jumped in front of him.

"Okay, listen to me." Donna/Skye growled. "No ones getting thrown out. Not Skye and not the Doctor. Do you guys not realize that you're talking about Murder!"

"If you stand in our way, I'll throw you out as well." Biff/Skye threatened. Donna's eyes flashed in horror as The Doctor pulled Donna safely away from them. Under no circumstance did he want Donna in danger as well.

**"**Look, just... Right, sorry, yes, hold on, just... I know, you're scared, and so am I, look at me, I am. But we have all got to calm down and cool off and think." The Doctor/Skye said.

**"**Perhaps you could tell us your name." Professor Hobbs/Skye suggested.

**"**What does it matter?" He/Skye asked.

**"**Then tell us." The Hostess/Skye yelled at him.

**"**John Smith." The Doctor/Skye confessed.

**"**Your real name." Hobbs/Skye told him. He crossed his arms and starred at the Doctor.

"He is telling the truth." Donna/Skye confirmed.

"No-one's called John Smith! Come off it!" Biff/Skye shouts. And once again they all started to talk at once.

_"_Now listen to me. Listen to me right now! Because you need me, all of you, if we're gonna get out of this, then you need me." The Doctor/Skye told them.

"If anyone's in charge, it should be the Professor, he's the expert!" Val said pointing to the professor.

**"**Mum, stop, just look." Jethro murmured pointing to Skye.

**"**You keep out of this, Jethro." Biff sneered.

**"**Look at her!" He yelled back at his father.

**"**She's stopped." Dee Dee gasped. They all turned around to look at Skye, she was still sitting motionless.

_"_When did she...? No, she hasn't, she's still doing it." The Doctor/Skye said.

**"**She looks the same to me... No, she's stopped! Look, I'm talking, and she's not!" Donna said in awe.

**"**What about me, is she...? Look! Look at that! She's not doing me, she's let me go!" Biff exclaimed.

**"**Mrs. Silvestry?...Nor me! Nothing!" The Hostess said. The Doctor turned to face Skye confused.

**"**Skye? What are you doing?" He/Skye asked her.

**"**She's still doing you, Doctor!" Donna exclaimed.

**"**Doctor, it's you. She's only copying you." Hobbs rephrased.

**"**Why me? Why are you doing this?" The Doctor/Skye asked.

**"**She won't leave him alone!" Hobbs whispered.

**"**D'you see? I said so, she's with him." Val told them trying to hide her smile.

"Oh shut up." Donna growled.

**"**How d'you explain it, Doctor? If you're so clever." Hobbs asked him.

**"**I don't know. Skye, stop it. I said stop it. Just stop it!" The Doctor/Skye ordered. He walked closer to her. Donna started towards the Doctor, but Biff and Hobbs blocked her way.

"Let me through!" She demanded. The Doctor held up his hand.

"Donna stay back." He called out.

_"_Look at the two of them!" Val sneered. Donna glared at her. The Doctor crouched down to look into Sky's eyes.

**"**Mrs. Silvestry. I'm trying to understand. You've captured my speech, what for? What d'you need? You need my voice in particular. The cleverest voice in the room. Why? Cos I'm the only one who can help?

Ohh, I'd love that to be true. But your eyes. They're saying something else. Listen to me. Whatever you want, if its life, or form, or consciousness, or voice, you don't have to steal it. You can find it without hurting anyone.

And I'll help you. That's a promise. So. What d'you think?" The Doctor/Skye started.

**"**Do we have a deal?" Skye asked.

**"**Do we have a deal?" The Doctor repeated. A shocked silence filled the shuttle realizing what had just happened.

_"_Hold on, did she...?" Dee Dee was unable to finish.

**"**She spoke first." Jethro said, like he was 1000 miles away.

**"**She can't have." Val said unbelieving.

**"**She did!" Hobbs exclaimed. Donna shook her head and tried to get to the Doctor again.

**"**Oh, look at that, I'm ahead of you." Skye said.

**"**Oh, look at that, I'm ahead of you." The Doctor repeated. Donna felt her eyes start to water.

**"**Did you see? She spoke before he did! Definitely!" Hobbs said pointing towards the Doctor and Skye.

**"**He's copying her." Jethro stated aimlessly.

**"**Doctor, what's happening?" Hobbs asked. Donna broke through the two men and started running to the Doctor when she froze hearing the Doctor copy Skye.

**"**I think it's letting me go." Skye said moving her head and heads.

**"**I think it's letting me go."

**"**What do you mean? Letting you go from what?" Val asked.

"No Doctor." Donna breathed.

**"**But he's repeating now, he's the one doing it! It's him!" Biff said.

**"**They're separating." Jethro told them. Donna just starred at him.

**"**Mrs. Silvestry? Is that you?" Hobbs asked.

**"**Yes, yes, it's me." She answered him.

"Yes, yes, it's me."

"No it's not!" Donna shouted, unwilling to believe that the Doctor had been possessed.

"I'm coming back, listen."

"I'm coming back listen."

"Liar!" Donna called out.

"It's me!"

"It's me!"

"Doctor, stop it!" Now, the Doctor was crouching there motionless, while Sky slowly started to try to stand.

"It's like it's passed into the Doctor. It's transferred. Whatever it is, it's gone inside him." Jethro said looking at the group.

"No, that's not what happened." Donna told them looking around at them.

"But look at her!" Val cried.

"Look at me, I can move..."

"Look at me, I can move..." The Doctor copied.

"I can feel again." Skye said.

"I can feel again."

"I'm coming back to life."

"I'm coming back to life."

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop It!" Donna shouted at Skye.

"Shut her up." Val ordered.

"Help me." Skye begged.

"Help me."

"Professor?"

"Professor?"

"Get me away from him." Skye outstretched her hand to him.

"Get me away from him." The Doctor copied.

"Please."

"Please." Hobbs started for her, but Donna tried to stop him. But he ignored her, he cautiously; avoiding touching the Doctor, the Professor moved forward and took Skye's hand, then led her to the others in the rear of the shuttle, past Donna.

"Ohh thank you."

"Ohh thank you."

"They've completely separated." Jethro said.

"It's in him, d'you see? I said it was him all the time." Biff shouted pointing to the Doctor. Donna ran to the Doctor and fell to his knees. He was scared and lonely; you could see it in his eyes.

Donna grabbed his shoulder, "Doctor, are you in there? Doctor?" she asked looking into his eyes. She saw him in there. She sighed and smiled, turning back to everyone.

"It's him! Look, you can see it in his eyes. It's her!" Donna smiled, but they looked at her as if she was crazy.

"But it's gone into him. He's the one that's copying him." Biff told her.

"That's not what happened." Dee Dee said simply.

"Thank you for your opinion, Dee, but clearly, Mrs. Silvestry has been released." Hobbs said examining Skye.

"No." Donna said turning back to the Doctor. "Doctor snap out of it please."

"Just leave her alone! She's safe, isn't she? Jethro? It's let her go, hasn't it?" Val asked her son. Jethro looked from the Doctor to Skye.

"Think so, yeah. Looks like it. Professor?" he asked.

"I'd say, from observation... the Doctor can't move, and when she was possessed, she couldn't move, so…" He started before biff cut him off.

"Well, there we are then! Now the only problem we've got is this Doctor."

"No, no, no!" everyone looked at Donna. "Listen the professor has a point. From observation, when Skye was possessed she couldn't move, and the Doctor can't move, but also if it's transferred, wouldn't it start at stage 1 again?" everyone looked confused.

"Think about it. He's coping her like Skye did when it first happened. She says something and he repeats, but when Skye was possessed she copied everyone! Not just the one. The Doctor's only coping her!" Donna smiled hoping they could see it.

"She's using him." Skye shot her a glare. "Please just think." Donna begged them.

"It's inside his head." Skye said.

"It's inside his head." Donna turned to face the Doctor as he repeated Skye some more.

"It killed the driver."

'It killed the driver."

"And the mechanic."

"And the mechanic."

"And now it wants us."

"And now it wants us."

"I said so!" Val said crossing her arms.

"He's waited so long."

"He's waited so long." The Doctor starred out into nothing, distant even.

"In the dark. And the cold."

"In the dark. And the cold."

"And the diamonds."

"And the diamonds." Donna wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him, tears falling down her cheeks. Dee Dee and the Hostess noticed the Doctor's hand twitch as if he was trying to respond to her hug.

"No look his hand moved." Dee said pointing to him.

"I saw it too." The Hostess agreed, but Skye carried on as if they had never spoken up.

"Until you came."

**"**Until you came."

**"**Bodies so hot."

"Bodies so hot." Donna placed her lips right next to his ear and whispered some encouragement.

**"**With blood."

**"**W-with blood." He hesitated before fully coping Skye. The Hostess noticed, and tried to tell the Professor, but he ignored her and listened to Skye.

**"**And pain."

**"**And pain."

**"**Stop, oh, my God, make him stop, someone make him stop!" Val hissed.

**"**But she's saying it!" Dee Dee protested.

**"**And you can shut up!" Val snapped at her.

**"**But it's not him, it's her, he's just repeating!" Dee Dee said trying to explain. Donna just stayed still as she felt the Doctor shift under her.

**"**Think... I mean, from what I've seen... it repeats, then it synchronizes, then it goes on to the next stage and that's exactly what the Doctor said would happen!" Dee Dee pointed out, trying her best to get them to see things her way.

"What and you're on his side?" Biff pointed to the Doctor accusing her of some kind of treason.

"No!"

"The voice is the thing!" Jethro said.

"And she's the voice! She stole it! Look at her! It's not possessing him, it's draining him!" Dee Dee pointed out.

"She's got his voice..." Donna breathed.

"But that's not true, cos it can't, because I saw it pass into him, I saw it with my own eyes!" Val protested, imagining what she thought she saw.

"So did I!" He agreed with his wife.

Dee Dee shook her head. "You didn't!"

"It went from her, to him. You saw it, didn't you?" Val asked turning to her son.

"I - I don't know." He stuttered.

"Oh, don't be stupid, Jethro, of course you did!" She yelled at him.

"I suppose... he was right next to her."

"Everyone saw it, everyone!" Biff motioned to everyone including Donna.

"You didn't, you're just making it up! I know what I saw, and I saw her stealing his voice." Dee Dee fought back.

"She's as bad as him, someone shut her up!" Val exclaimed rolling her eyes.

"I think you should be quiet, Dee." Hobbs suggested. No one noticed Skye's satisfied smile.

"That's how he does it."

"That's how he does it.

"He makes you fight."

"He makes you fight."

"Doctor stop it. You're stronger than she is. Please, for me." Donna whispered in his ear. Donna thought she heard a soft moan, but she couldn't be sure.

"Creeps into your head."

"Creeps into your head – d." He stuttered.

"Look he stalled." Dee Dee said.

"And whispers."

"And whispers."

"Listen."

"Listen."

"Just listen."

"Just listen."

"That's him."

"That's him."

"Inside."

"Inside."

"Throw him out!" Biff shouted. Donna gripped the Doctor tighter.

"Get him out of my head!" Val screamed placing her hands over her ears.

"I'm gonna throw him out!" Biff stated. The Doctor still can't move, but his eyes tell everything, his fear, and his fight against the thing trying to possess him.

_"_Yes!" Skye smiled.

"Yes!"

"Throw him out!"

"Throw him out!"

"Get rid of him!"

"Get rid of him!"

"Now!" Skye ordered.

"Now!"

Biff grabbed Donna and pulled her off of The Doctor and threw her to the side, her back hitting seats. He then proceeded to grab the Doctor and drag him to the door.

_"_Don't!" Donna Begged trying to regain her composure.

"It'll be you next!" Val threatened pointing to Donna. Donna flinched backwards, but regained her much-ness and crawled over to the Doctor and grabbed hold of him.

"I don't think we should do this!" The Hostess admitted, feeling uneasy.

"It was your idea! Professor, help me." He called. He tried to pull Donna off, but he needed help.

"I can't... I - I'm not..." He stammered.

"What sort of a man are you? Come on!" Biff said. Professor Hobbs walked over and tried to pull Donna off. And after a moment they had successfully pulled Donna off of him. Biff threw Donna into the Galley, only to have Donna hit the corner of the entrance, stomach first.

"Throw him out!" Val commanded. Donna rolled onto her side, hand wrapped around her stomach in pain, tears dripping down her face. She could taste the blood as it streamed down from the corner of her mouth. Donna coughed harshly.

"Cast him out!" Skye said smiling.

"Cast him out!"

"Into the sun!"

"Into the sun!"

"I want him out!" Val whined. Jethro joined Biff and the Professor, pulling the Doctor towards the door. Donna laid there helplessly and watched as the Doctor was about to be murdered.

"You can do it!" Skye encouraged the boys.

"You can do it!"

"Molto Bené!"

"Throw him out!" Val screamed.

"Molto Bené!" The Doctor copied. Donna closed her eyes and let a few tears slide through her closed lids. _That was his voice. Why can't they see? _She thought.

"Allons-y!" Skye called out. Donna let a heart wrenching sob out.

"Allons-y!" he repeated. _Donna, I love you. _Donna gasped, hearing the Doctor in her head.

"That's his voice." The Hostess said, realization dawning on her.

"The starlight waits!" Skye mused.

"She's taken his voice!" The Hostess exclaimed. She franticly looked around.

"The starlight waits!" he copied.

"The emptiness!"

"The emptiness!"

"The Midnight sky!"

"The Midnight sky!"

"It's her. She's taken his voice!" Donna whispered, unable to find the strength to speak any louder.

The Hostess grabbed Skye and pushed the button that opened the fire exit. A blinding light filled the shuttle, making everyone stop and scream. The Hostess stood in the door, holding Skye.

"One, two, three, four, five, six." She counted. As the pressure wall collapsed the Hostess and Skye were sucked outside. The door closed a moment later causing the men to let go of the Doctor. He fell to the ground gasping.

_"_It's gone, it's gone... It's gone, it's gone, it's gone... It's gone. It's gone... It's gone, it's gone, it's gone... It's gone, it's gone, it's gone...Donna!" he scrambled to his feet and ran over to her side.

He cautiously picked her up into his arms, in the sitting position. She looked up into his eyes smiling. He cupped her face and held her tight, bringing his face to hers and leaving there.

***  
20 MINUTES LATER...

The Doctor was still sitting on the floor; Donna curled up in his lap. The other passengers were spread out in the cabin, everyone sitting alone, all lost in their own dark thoughts.

"Repeat, Crusader 50, rescue vehicle coming alongside in three minutes, door-seals set to automatic. Prepare for boarding, repeat, prepare for boarding." The Via intercom announced.

"The Hostess... what was her name?" Donna shook her head into the Doctors clothing while everyone else looked away ashamed.

_"_I don't know." Professor Hobbs admitted.

Donna walked out of the infirmary in a white bathrobe and hugged the Doctor. He returned the hug, grateful that she was okay.

"What d'you think it was?" She asked sitting down.

"No idea." He admitted placing his chin in his hands.

"D'you think it's still out there?" her voice was fragile and scared. He didn't answer her. She nodded and moved on. "Well, you'd better tell 'em. This lot."

"Yeah. They can build a Leisure Palace somewhere else. Let this planet keep on turning, round an Xtonic star." He paused. "In silence." He added. The Doctor stood up and extended a hand to her.

"Allons-y?" He asked with a weak smile. Donna took his hand and stood up.

"Allons-y." she nodded and they walked back to the TARDIS hand in hand. _Safe and sound. _The Doctor reassured himself squeezing Donna's hand unknowingly, only to feel a soft squeeze in return completed with a warm smile by Donna.

**The End.**

**A/N: Sorry for the wait. This episode was so much fun to write! I mean we all know Donna never went with the Doctor, so I got to play around with her character and how she would have acted. **

**Also I think that if Donna had accompanied the Doctor, he actually might have put more of fight. So I also got to play off of that, which was pretty fun.**

**I think it turned out cool. My favorite part to write was when he was being possessed and about to thrown out. I got a chance to show Donna's weakness and stuff. So the next post will be a side adventure. **

**Bring tissues it will be sad. Well I want it to be anyways. So tell me if you like it. Kk!**


	14. Forgive Me

Donna lay on her back starring back up at the three suns of Shentencly. The Doctor was off playing with some kids. Its was only three days after Midnight and Donna still hadn't gotten over it. So many things traveled through her mind.

She'd almost lost him, and that terrified her. But what bothered her the most was that she didn't do anything to help.

Donna felt her eyes water and she brought her hand to the side of her face. She did nothing! What kind of companion was she? She was weak, obnoxious, useless, broken, and unimportant. All she did was get in his way, and hold him back.

She didn't even deserve to travel with him. She didn't deserve their engagement, or the baby. She couldn't even help him bare the burden he carries.

Donna was shaken from her thoughts by a firm hand on her arm. She looked over to see the Doctor sitting down next to her.

"You alright?" he asked looking out over the view.

Donna rolled over to her side and looked up at him. She nodded. He grinned and looked down at her. "Liar." Donna let out a soft laugh. "What's wrong?" Donna sighed and opened her mouth to speak, but kept silent for awhile.

"….I didn't do anything. I'm sorry, I truly am. I mean what kind of companion am I?"

"Donna…"

"I'm weak and useless. I pout and complain. I know I'm rude, annoying, harsh, and I know I put you down a lot." The Doctor sat and watched as Donna pulled herself into the sitting possession.

"I didn't do anything! I let them try to murder you." Tears swam down her face.

"And I can't help you. With your burden. I mean you can always see who dies and why and how they died. I try my best to try to carry it with you, but I can't. And I know you still cry over the loss of Rose and I try to take your mind off of her, but I feel as if no matter what I do all you see is her and that doesn't help you."

"Donna, please…"

"I don't deserve to wear this ring or deserve this miracle inside me, but I can't bring myself to let you go. I know I'm just being selfish, but I can't do it, I – I just can't!"

"Donna." She ignored him and looked down. He grabbed her arms firmly; Donna starred into his eyes. He gave a small smiled and leaned in closer.

"Donna, it's not you fault. What happened on Midnight was not your fault. And Rose." He let out a dry chuckle. "Yes I'm still morning over her, because she was important to me." He saw hurt flash through her eyes.

"But Donna, you're important to me too. You're so much more than that. Donna I love you and I would never ask you help me carry this burden. I wouldn't." He pulled her into a hug and held her there.

"And sure you can be annoying, and hard headed, harsh, and you do complain a lot." She pulled out of his arms.

"Oi, spaceman, to the point!" she snapped. He smiled and nodded.

"Right, sorry. My point is that even though you can be a handful I still love you. And you're the one who deserves more, not me. And I'm the selfish one. I put you through danger every time we step foot out of the TARDIS. And even though I fully understand that I could possibly loss you on adventure, I could never bring myself to part with you." He stood up and looked down at her.

"So Donna could you please forgive me for being so selfish?" He extended his hand like he did at Midnight. Donna looked at his hand for a moment. He waggled his fingers and gave a toothy grin. "Come o-on."

Donna, without touching his hand, jumped into his arms, resting her head on his chest.

"I forgive you Doctor." She buried her face into his shirt and let a few tears fall silently. After getting over the shook of her action, the Doctor wrapped his arms around Donna and smiled.

"I love Donna Noble." She nodded into him and mumbled 'I love you too.'


End file.
